Native American festival offers tribal dancing, flint knapping and more

The 2017 Whispers from the Past Native American festival is set for Sunday, Oct. 15, at Aldridge Gardens.

It originally was supposed to be Sunday, Oct. 8, but a forecast of rain prompted Aldridge officials to postpone the event one week until their "rain date."

The festival, which starts at 10 a.m. and lasts until 5:30 p.m., is an educational event designed to provide an accurate portrayal of the past and present lives of Native Americans in the Southeast by demonstrating traditions, art, cultural practices and folklore.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Medicine Tail Dancers, a group of about 25 people who sing, drum and perform powwow dances from various tribes. The Atmore-based troupe includes representatives from several Native American tribes, including the Creek, Coushatta, Choctaw and Houma tribes. They travel the country to participate in competitions and events such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the World Eskimo Indian Olympics in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The Medicine Tail Dancers this year are scheduled to perform three shows at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., said Debbie McDonald, education director at Aldridge.

There will be three “living history” presenters at this year’s festival, including a woman who does weaving and beading, a deer hunter from the 1800s and a man portraying a French Marine who learned from the Native Americans how to survive on the American continents, McDonald said.

Other people will demonstrate how to fish with a cane pole, grind corn, pound leaf patterns onto fabric and make gourd masks, pine needle baskets, flutes, arrowheads and shell necklaces, she said.

An instructor also will teach people how to make “dreamcatchers” — hoops with beads and feathers designed to catch bad dreams so people will have only good dreams, according to Native American folklore.

Admission to Whispers from the Past is $12 for guests 18 and older, $10 for senior citizens and military veterans and $7 for students. Children 2 and younger get in free. Students and children get to take home crafts while supplies last.

Overflow parking and shuttles will be available at the River Oaks Village shopping center at the southern intersection of U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.

This article was updated on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 4:26 p.m. to inform people about the date change for the festival.