American Indian Heritage Festival will provide an educational experience

“We would love for our community to come and see the open atmosphere of the festival and to know that Indian people are not just a thing of the past. They are relevant today and very much a part of today’s society,” said Sonya Smith, executive director of the Center for Community Advancement Inc., as she discussed the educational opportunities that will be presented during the Second Annual American Indian History Month Festival. The event is set for Saturday in the Dothan Civic Center. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

“We would love for the students from the community to have the opportunity to see and experience more than what a textbook offers,” Ms. Smith continued.

Included in those educational experiences will be the opportunity to visit with members of Alabama’s Indian tribes, who will provide exhibits of items associated with their particular tribes. Guests will have the opportunity to compare traditions and tribal customs.

“The exhibits will create an interactive learning environment,” Ms. Smith said. “We invite the public to enjoy the conversation about the culture as well as its present and its historical aspects. Tribal representatives will be at their exhibits to interact with the community.”

All too often, the American Indian has been stereotyped in an unflattering light. Ms. Smith says this festival will offer a better perspective of the Indian culture than the one often portrayed by Hollywood.

“Not all American Indians live on reservations,” Ms. Smith said. “We have tribes that are non-reservation, and we have tribal communities. Not all American Indians lived in tepees, as many people believe.”

There is more to the festival than tribal exhibits. Colorful dance demonstrations and competitions will fill the floor of the Civic Center arena. Many of the traditional dances and music will be on display.

The festival opens with gourd dancing, followed by the grand entry. That will be followed by a salute to those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Dance competitions will then take center stage in the arena.

Tickets are $10 per person. Children five and under are admitted free of charge. Ms. Smith encourages those planning to attend to purchase tickets in advance through the Dothan Civic Center Box Office.

For more information, call 794-7007.