Moundville hosts 30th annual Native American festival

Look who's turning 30.

The Moundville Native American Festival will hold its 30th annual festival Oct. 3-6 at Moundville Archaeological Park. And while the festival is another year older, its objective hasn't changed: to teach its expected 13,000 visitors about Native Americans while celebrating the culture's achievements.

The park, located on the Black Warrior River 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa, preserves 326 acres where 800 years ago, 29 flat-topped mounds were constructed. The mounds served as civic and ceremonial structures as well as the homes of nobles.

Organized by the University of Alabama Museums, the festival will give attendees the opportunity to experience Native American performers, demonstrators, living history teachers and craft vendors.

At the Native American stage, guests can watch the Chikasha Hithla stomp dancers, the Grayhawk Band and hoop dancer Lyndon Alec. Grammy Award-winner Grayhawk Perkins will be this year’s emcee and will introduce entertainment throughout the festival.

Social dancing and storytelling will also take place, and guests can learn why animals look and act the way they do as described in ancient stories. The festival offers both traditional and contemporary performances to engage all audience members.

“The Alabama Wildlife Center will be doing its birds of prey program,” said Kayla Scott, education and outreach coordinator and festival director. “They’ll have live birds out that have been rehabilitated, and they will be discussing them with the crowd.”

Visitors can learn about traditional pottery firing, weaving and bead work as well as how Choctaws make rivercane baskets. Artists will reproduce ancient work and also create new works.

Tool makers from around the country will be in attendance, and guests can watch as craftsmen demonstrate flintknapping, the making of flaked or chipped stone tools.

Visitors can talk with a world-class bowman as he carves a wooden longbow, can watch as experts shoot a bow and arrow and can learn how to throw a spear 50 yards with the help of an atlatl.

In the Living History Camp, re-enactors will be dressed in period clothing, and their camps will be filled with items suggesting the importance of the trade era. Native foods will be cooked on an open fire while an elder describes his journeys through the wilderness.

Some of the country’s finest artists and craftspeople are featured exhibitors this year. Authentic crafts, art prints, musical instruments, toys, clothing, books and much more will be available for sale.

For children, face painting and craft making will be offered. Kids can dress up like Southeastern Native Americans, throw a Native American football, play native games, such as stickball, and make a shell bead necklace.

The Jones Archaeological Museum features exhibits that tell stories of those who once lived at Moundville as well as artifacts, recreated scenery and a special effects theater.

Located next to the museum is the food court where Native American foods, as well as regular festival foods such as hamburgers and shaved ice, can be purchased. Additional food will be available at the riverbank near Knapper’s Corner.

“We have fantastic food with Mrs. Juanita Gardenski,” Scott said. “She runs a Choctaw Kitchen, and she has things like Indian tacos, roasted corn and turkey legs.”

Repeatedly named on of Alabama’s Top 20 Tourism Events, the Moundville Native American Festival is held Wednesday through Saturday during the first full week of October.

Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Group rates are available and can be booked through Lisa Rasco at llrasco@ua.edu. The festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 3-4 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 5-6.

“We hope that guests come out, they enjoy themselves and they get a chance to see a side of Native American culture that they wouldn’t see on a regular day here at the park,” Scott said.

For more information, visit www.moundville.ua.edu or call 348-7550.