Hi ! Monday Road trip fans we are in Opelousas,La for the 5th Annual Prairie Tribe festivals:
History of the Prairie tribes:
The oral history of the Attakapas stated they came from the sea and that the ancestral prophet laid out the rules of conduct. The Attakapas were aborigines who were native and most ancient of southwestern and southeastern Louisiana who traditions date back to the time of the prehistoric mammoth. The Attakapas is one of six linguistic bands to inhabit Louisiana. The Caddo, Tunica, Natchez, Attakapa, Chitimach and Muskogee each occupied a different region of Louisiana, each band speaking a different language. Today\s event combines the local 5 tribes in song and dance. Lisa
The Event :
Farmers’ Market Pavilion : 828 E. Landry St.,Opelousas, LA 70570 https://cajuntravel.com
Participate in these cherished traditions at the Annual Attakapas Opelousas Prairie Tribe Festival, also called the Three Moons Festival. This is a free event that takes place every year in July in Opelousas, Louisiana, home to the Attakapas Opelousas Prairie Tribe. The event is hosted by their leader, Chief Nolan Gobert, and is led by Mr. Harvey Whitford of the Blackfeet Tribe and his wife Mrs. Carolyn Gray Whitford of the Attakapas Opelousas Prairie Tribe. The festival is a gathering of many tribes throughout the state of Louisiana, including the Avogel Tribe, Lipan Apache, Mamou Choctaw, and more.
Tribal members will perform traditional dances, drumming, storytelling activities, and special demonstrations featuring primitive crafts and tools. This event is family friendly and also offers educational activities and games for kids, including American Stick Ball and washer games. There will also be outside vendors with craft items for purchase and food including red beans and rice, shrimp fettuccine, jambalaya, and more. It’s not a Louisiana festival without something good to eat.
Veterans are invited to participate in the 9:30am Gourd Dancing as part of Native traditions of honoring veterans.https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/history-of-a-warrior-s-dance-gourd-dancing-2t20-VV1tUOuRDCfgmY7JA/
Festival Schedule:9:30 – Gourd Dancing by Chief Mayeaux of The Avogel Tribe of Louisiana11:00 – Grand Entry12:00 – Lunch along with Educational Speakers1:00 – Native American Drum and dancing by Canneci N’de banc of Lipan Apache1:30 – Attakapas OPT dancers2:00 – Jewerly Making Demonstration by Theresa Semien Gobert of Attakapas OPT2:30 – Drumming by Theresa Semien Gobert & Amy Gobert Cormier of The Attakapas OPT3:00 – Native American Dance Lessons and Teachings4:00 – Inter-Tribal Dancing
