Seminole Tribe Hosts Indigenous Arts Celebration - Ends Saturday Nov 4

An Adventure Day At The Seminole Reservation - Festival Ends Saturday

BIG CYPRESS SEMINOLE RESERVATION, Fl – The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is featuring a  display of tribal weaponry during the American Indigenous Arts Celebration Saturday, November 4. 

The event takes place at the Museum and on the museum’s festival grounds in Big Cypress from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

From Clewiston and LaBelle it's a relaxing drive from State Road 80 turning at Hendry County Road 833 and through the Devil's Garden, seeing sugar cane fields, huge solar panel farms, and best of all nearly no traffic all the way to the Seminole Reservation.  Besides, the festival you might want to visit the historic Seminole Cemetery down the road from the Festival, and a bit further the surrealistic Billy's Swamp Safari, where the Swamp Water Cafe is open but the surrounding grounds are empty of people creating an eerie feeling walking through the grounds and empty exhibits from the past, which are set to be refurbished sometime by the Tribe. The only animal still there seemed to be a lone Macaw Parrot in a large cage near the Cafe.

Large groups of school children enjoyed the many Festival events and demonstrations on Friday, including  Dancers, Alligator Wrestling and a fashion show by Tribe students. 

The museum is open featuring many displays and visitors can hike along a boardwalk to the "camp" where one can see the stages of building canoes while learning about the flora and fauna on the trail through the Everglades swamp.

The AIAC is one of the top Indigenous festivals sand will features Seminole and Indigenous art, music, food, and dance. Attendees can shop among the numerous booths of Native artists, and craft vendors, while enjoying Seminole cuisine, including fresh fry bread.

Event highlights Saturday will include  New Zealand’s HAKA Māori Cultural Experience with new additions such as Māori Tā Moko traditional tattoo demonstration, weaponry display with demonstration by the King’s bodyguard and collaboration with Seminole woodcarvers Daniel Tommie, Tylor Tigertail, and Māori carver Taroi Rawiri to build a Seminole dugout canoe with a Māori influence. 

The HAKA Māori Cultural Experience will use all the proceeds from the Seminole’s tattoo bookings to benefit the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC)

A collaboration of live painting will take place at the Stage 360 with both Seminole Artist, Elgin Jumper and Māori Artist, Regan Balzer to the inspirational Māori music (Taonga Puoro) played live by Māori musician Solomon Horo.

Admission is $10 for adults and $7.50 for seniors and students. Tribal members, children four and under, and museum members are free. Admission includes entrance to the event as well as the museum with its mile-long boardwalk. Admission is collected upon entering the parking lot.

Photo by Don Browne: "The Archer"