20th Annual Native American Cultural Festival
at Sycamore Shoals State Park

Native American Cultural Festival near Watauga Lake Tennessee

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2010 - present
All Rights Reserved
See links to article references at the end of the article.

June 2010

Sycamore Shoals was the site of historical events important not only to this region but the whole country. Here, white settlers met with Native Americans to make treaties and alliances which opened up the "west" to white European settlers and changed the lives of Native Americans in this country forever.

For 20 years, the Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area has hosted the Native American Festival, an event to showcase Native American and, in particular, Cherokee culture. This 3 day festival moves at a pace far different from the world around it. Visitors experience music, ceremonial dances and demonstrations from a culture where spiritual connectedness takes priority over productivity and entertainment.

This year's festival included discussions with intriguing titles like "So your Mother was a Cherokee Princess" and "Origins of the Cherokee Trail Dress". Daniel Bigay of Greenville Tennessee performed and sold his handmade flutes. The featured storyteller was Freeman Owle of Cherokee NC. He also offered a Cherokee language workshop. Dr. Michael Abram of the Cherokee Heritage Museum in Cherokee NC (see link below) gave 2 lectures including one on the importance of gourds in the daily life of a Cherokee.

If you have not visited the Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, their special programs throughout the summer offer great opportunities to learn about the significant history of the area and to visit a beautiful park.

To learn more about the park, see the link to their website below.