North Creek’s Tannery Pond Center (TPC) is hosting the Indigenous Gifts Festival. The festival began on July 16th, and will continue until September 14th. Each week, TPC will highlight works from indigenous artists of the Adirondacks, including music, dance, film, and more.
For centuries, the Adirondacks have been home to the Haudenosaunee, or “People of the Longhouse.” This confederation includes the Mohawk, Cayuga, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, and Tuscarora peoples of New York. Prior to European arrival, the Haudenosaunee were one of the premier political and cultural forces of the region, with their form of representative government going on to influence America’s founding fathers.
Haudenosaunee culture – then and now – has a deep connection to the natural environment of the Adirondacks, with their art reflecting this. Tannery Pond Center’s Indigenous Gifts: Tradition, Today and Tomorrow Festival celebrates these artistic works, and the culture of the 81,000 members of the Haudenosaunee nation in the US.
Since its start, the Tannery Pond Center has been dedicated to bringing diverse arts programming to the North Country. Operating out of the Johnsburg Community Center, TPC has presented countless art exhibitions, musical performances, and arts workshops for local children. At the center of TCP’s mission is a deep respect for the community, with the center striving to provide the highest quality programming, all while fostering the creativity of those who visit.
As part of its dedication to community involvement, TPC is hosting the Indigenous Gifts Festival until September 14th. For this festival, TPC has closely collaborated with local Haudenosaunee artists to highlight their vibrant arts and culture, as well as further educate the public on their history. This two month-long festival will feature 14 special events highlighting different aspects of Haudenosaunee arts and history. Included among the events are art exhibitions, musical performance, and crafts workshops.
For the entirety of the Festival, TPC’s Widlund Gallery will feature an exhibition of local indigenous art. Local artist David Fadden curated the exhibition, using art to break down stereotypes and foster accurate understandings of Haudenosaunee culture. Fadden grew up in Onchiota, NY with close ties to Haudenosaunee and Mohawk culture.
Of special note are the festival’s many musical performances. On July 25, the Akwesasne Women Singers will perform from 7:30-9:30pm. The group will perform Onhwentsiakehkha music, traditionally sung at longhouse social dances. Each year, new lyrics to these songs are penned, ensuring that the language will thrive. The Akwesasne Women Singers have performed together since 1996, mixing song and dance into their performances. Before each dance, the singers explain its cultural significance and invite audience members to join in.
August 11th will feature a performance from the Allegany River Indian Dancers. Since their start in 1979, the group has become one of the premier indigenous dance groups in the US and Canada. Their performances include a number of “pow wow” dances, including the hoop dance. This performance involves 30 hoops used to form nature-inspired designs. Since their start, the troupe has taught countless people about Seneca culture through audience participation and lectures. This performance will take place from 3-5pm.
The final musical event is a Social Dance with the Travel Troupe from the Native North American Traveling College. The event will begin at 3:00pm with a youth-only dance at the Outdoor Stage Riverside Park. This event will educate children of all ages on the importance of indigenous dance. A 7:30pm event at Tannery Pond Center will follow. This is an all-ages event, inviting families to learn about the significance of indigenous social dance. During the 90 minute program, audience members will be able to participate in dances, while learning how these events involve all members of the community. These social dance events will both take place on August 22nd.
In addition to these music and dance events there are a slew of other cultural activities to be enjoyed. Among these are workshops on traditional wampum bead bracelets and moccasins, film screenings, and academic lectures.
For more information on events and ticketing, visit the TPC website here.
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