After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Cherokee Nation to host its annual National Holiday online last year, the tribe plans to hold a hybrid celebration this Labor Day weekend, featuring both virtual and smaller-scale, in-person events.
The tribe is celebrating the bicentennial of Sequoyah’s syllabary this year, as theme for the 69th Annual Cherokee National Holiday is “Cultivating Our Culture: Language. Literacy. Lifeways.” The event is known for its ability to attract thousands of visitors from around the country, but the tribe’s goal is to proceed with a variety of events that allow for smaller, safe gatherings.
“The Cherokee National Holiday remains a time of year we celebrate our existence and culture, but it’s important we come together as a people this Labor Day weekend safely, and in a controlled environment with masks, social distancing and other COVID-19 protective measures, with the full-scale Cherokee National Holiday returning next year to ensure ultimate safety,” said Cherokee National Holiday Coordinator Austin Patton.
The holiday typically features a parade,fishing derby, softball tournament, traditional Cherokee games, and arts-and-crafts, food and vendor markets at the Cherokee Heritage Center and One Fire Field. These events will return to normal in 2022.
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.’s State of the Nation Address, as well as the Miss Cherokee, Junior Cherokee and Little Cherokee Ambassador competitions, will all be held in person, but with a limited audience. During the State of the Nation Address, the chief typically lays out the tribe’s upcoming plans, projects, and initiatives.
“The Cherokee National Holiday is not only meaningful for Cherokees to celebrate the reconstituting of our government after one of our darkest chapters in history, but this year it will also celebrate our Cherokee language, which has existed since time immemorial, and with 2,000 remaining fluent speakers today is also one of the utmost priorities for our tribe,” Hoskin said.
In downtown Tahlequah, the tribe will host an art market featuring Cherokee artists. Patrons and vendors will be required to socially distance and wear masks. The tribe also plans to offer drive-in movie nights, gospel singing, a fiddlers' contest, the annual car show, quilt show, and fireworks show – all in person.
Every year, Cherokees and visitors alike can watch stickball teams battle it out in a game unlike an other. This year, guests will be able to tune in from home to watch the matches, which will be livestreamed. Revelers will also be able to take a virtual tour through the tribe’s heirloom garden and historic Cherokee sites.
One of the largest attractions of the holiday is the intertribal powwow, where Natives from all over converge to stomp dance on the Cherokee Nation Cultural Grounds. This is still in the works, but tribe plans to offer limited opportunities for in-person attendance, along with live-streaming of the event.
Events are subject to change depending on COVID-19 conditions. Check https://holiday.cherokee.org for more information and continual updates. For questions about the Holiday, call Patton at 918-822-2427.
The Link LonkMay 14, 2021 at 08:50AM
https://ift.tt/3uNRCGX
Cherokee National Holiday to offer both live, virtual events for 2021 - Tahlequah Daily Press
https://ift.tt/2QoXNjh
Holiday
No comments:
Post a Comment