Community preparing for Oklahoma City’s Red Earth Festival
Student dancers, including Mewayseh Greenwood, front, 12, of Edmond, perform during media day for the Red Earth Festival, on the fourth floor of the state Capitol in Oklahoma City on Monday. The 23rd annual Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival will be June 5-7 in downtown Oklahoma City. (Photos by Nate Billings/The Oklahoman)
Skye Wapskineh, 10, Oklahoma City, a jingle dress dancer, performs as Graham Primeaux, the dance coordinator for Red Earth, sings and plays a drum behind Wapskineh during media day for the Red Earth Festival, on the fourth floor of the state Capitol in Oklahoma City on Monday.
From Tuesday’s The Oklahoman.
Oklahomans take steps to raise awareness of Red Earth
The tinkling of bells, rhythmic pounding of drums and haunting singing echoed through the fourth floor rotunda of the state Capitol Monday afternoon.
Youths clad in colorful regalia bobbed and whirled in the fancy shawl, jingle dress and fancy dance styles, heralding the upcoming Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival.
The 23rd annual Red Earth festival will be June 5-7 at the Cox Convention Center. It will include American Indian dance contests, a juried fine art competition, art market, music, 5K run, grand parade and more.
“If you have never been there, you have no idea what you are missing,” Lt. Gov. Jari Askins said Monday during the yearly Red Earth Media Day. “This is such a wonderful celebration that brings in people from all around the country. … It is truly an event that is a stimulus package of its own because there is not one sense that cannot be stimulated at the Red Earth festival.”
More than 100 Indian nations, tribes and bands from across North America are expected to be represented at the event. Organizers hope to draw more than 900 dancers to the festivities.
Caddo potter Jereldine Redcorn of Norman has been named the 2009 Red Earth Honored One, given annually to a master visual artist.
“It’s a coming together of cultures and a showcase of Native American culture,” Redcorn said Monday.
-BAM
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Askins is right, if you haven’t seen this before, its unbelievable. I highly recommend attending. Thanks for covering it!