Buffalo River Powwow Offers Learning Experience for Students

Steve Mohan in Native Currents. Discussion »

LINDEN, TENNESSEE – All powwows are a way for tribes to teach their members and others attending about their history through dance, drums, stories, and many other ways. The Buffalo River Powwow is going a step further and having the first day of the event be School Day where local schools can bring students for a history lesson.

Eleven Powwows This Weekend

Jack and Marsha John, East Tennessee Overhill Cherokee, will be teaching those in attendance about the journey a Native American takes from youth to adulthood. They will be hitting every aspect of the culture from weapons demonstrations to plant and animal studies as well as spiritual and medical skills. The plant section will be a full breakdown of the history, mythology, and a tasting of some of the plants used for food and medicine. The plants that have been abused by people too will be brought up and the risks and dangers of using these plants will be taught.

The weapons demonstrations will offer safety lessons, how to use a traditional Cherokee style rivercane blowgun, and a chance to play traditional tribal games. There also will be demonstrations on the use of tomahawks, knife and spear throwing, and the atl atl, a spear throwing tool.

After all that there will be stories that were taught by the elders with a question and answer section at the end. The price for school day is $1.00 per student with all adults accompanying them being admitted free. The Buffalo River Powwow is offering a unique chance to teach kids about their culture in a in depth and informational way.

POWWOW Calendar

13th Annual Buffalo River Powwow
1690 Airport Ridge Road
Linden, TN 37096
October 26 - 28

2nd International Powwow and Festival
12449 Withlacoochee Blvd
Dade City, FL
October 26 - 28

Meherrin Chowanoke Nation Annual Powwow
102 Edgewood Drive
Ahoskie, NC
October 26 - 28

Benefit Masquerade Powwow for Pe Sla
Mother Butler Center
Rapid City, SD
October 26

Lumbee Fall Powwow
Pembroke, NC
October 26 - 28

Red Clay Powwow
1140 Red Clay Park
Cleveland, TN
October 26 - 28

Lake Lel Be Powwow
2900 South Curry St
Linden, TN
October 26 - 28

Roy Track Memorial Mesa Powwow
Pioneer Park
Mesa, AZ
October 26 - 28

Harvest Moon American Indian Festival
3107 Troost Avenue
Kansas City, MO
October 27 - 28

Colorado State University Powwow
500 University Avenue
Fort Collins, CO
October 27

6th Annual Veterans Celebrations Powwow
10601 Northeast 132nd Street
Kirkland, WA
October 27

posted October 26, 2012 6:00 am edt