Fading Voices Demonstration Day

SAT MAY 23

11 AM – 4 PM

This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Snowbird Cherokee’s Fading Voices Demonstration Day.

For forty years the Snowbird Cherokee have set aside a day to remember and honor the Cherokee way of life that existed before modern-day. On this day, we celebrate our traditional ways and endeavor to pass them on to our children.

Join us in this celebration of our Snowbird Cherokee heritage, language and community.

We invite you to eat traditional Cherokee food such as bean bread and sample refreshing sassafras tea. Come and experience demonstrations such as basket weaving, beadwork, soap making, quilting, and hominy making. Watch or compete in our traditional games — the lid toss, the fish game or stick ball.

Everyone is invited to listen, learn and help preserve the cultural traditions of the Snowbird Cherokee so they may be passed on to future generations.

THE MOUND BUILDING DEMONSTRATION BEGINS AT 11 AM

To participate please bring one cup or turtle shell full of dirt from home.

Traditional Foods Menu

Fry Bread
Indian Dinners
Chestnut Bread
Bean Bread
Hominy
Fat Back
Wild Greens
Fried Chicken

Traditional Demonstrations

  • Beadwork
  • Pottery
  • Quilting
  • Wood Carving
  • Cherokee Language
  • Hominy Cooking
  • Basket Weaving
  • Bean Bread Making
  • Traditional Dancing
  • Story Telling
  • Flute Making
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Copper Work
  • Corn Pounding
  • Lid Toss
  • Stick Ball
  • Fish Game

PREVIEW A FADING VOICES DEMONSTRATION DAY

Step back in time through this NC Weekend episode and enjoy learning about this celebration of traditional ways of the Snowbird Cherokee.

Visitors have the rare opportunity to see demonstrations and purchase traditional crafts, taste authentic foods, view displays of medicinal plants and teas, hear the language of the Cherokee language spoken and sung, and even participate in a cast iron lid throwing contest.

The festival highlights the playing of two traditional Cherokee games: Cherokee stickball and a courtship game called the Fish Game.

From One Generation To The Next

From Simon Colonehuskie to Hunter Welch — over the course of forty years the skill of shingle making has been exhibited by six demonstrators and three generations and is only one such example of the kind of preservation accomplished through this event.

Dinah Wachacha – pounding corn

Edna Chekeleleee – food

Iva Rattler – butter churning

Coffin building – Herman Wachacha

Simon Calonehuskie #2 – shingle making

LARGE TENT FOR DINING & MUSIC

DON’T FORGET YOUR CHAIR!

EVENT SCHEDULE

Matthew Tooni, Master of Ceremony

11:00 AM OPENING REMARKS
Welcome — Fading Voices Committee
Invocation — Alfred Welch
Presentation of Colors — Steve Youngdeere American Legion Post 143
Opening Remarks — representative of Chief Michell Hicks
11:00 AM MOUND BUILDING DEMONSTRATION

Singer, Alfred Welch

Enrolled Members will circle the fire counterclockwise seven times whle the leader sings. After the 7th round guests are invited to participate. Please wait for the invitation.

11:30 PM HONORING OF SOLDIERS

Steve Youngdeere American Legion Post 143

A calling of the roll of Cherokee soldiers killed in service followed by a recognition of all veterans and service members in the audience.

More scheduled events to come.

ALL DAY ACTIVITES

Beadwork
Pottery
Quilting
Wood Carving
Cherokee Language
Hominy Cooking
Basket Weaving
Bean Bread Making
Traditional Dancing
Story Telling
Flute Making
Herbal Medicine
Copper Work
Corn Pounding

FADING VOICES IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE