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5 WAYS YOUR FAMILY CAN CELEBRATE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

By Becky Samford, Publisher Duluth, Norcross, Suwanee, Johns Creek & Peachtree Corners Macaroni Kid October 30, 2022

Kids are fascinated about Native Americans. The following are 5 ways your family can learn about and celebrate this rich and interesting culture.

1. Learn first-hand about Native American Culture at the largest Native American gathering in Georgia


After a two- year hiatus, Stone Mountain Park will host the 21st Annual Native American Festival & Pow Wow on Nov. 3 and run through Nov. 6. With multiple tribes represented, the festival is considered the largest gathering of its kind in Georgia and a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Held at the park’s Historic Square, visitors will experience the southeast’s premier Native American cultural festival through  interactive educational displays, cooking traditions, storytelling, wildlife presentations and more. Ongoing activities include: a living history tipi village, primitive life skills, interactive demonstrations of local and regional native cultures, dance and drum exhibitions, live music, native foods, weaponry, various arts and crafts demonstrated by renowned native artists and much more.

The event showcases cultural and educational activities for families to experience. Discover the central role of dance in native culture as Native Americans from across the U.S. and Central America compete in intertribal dance and drum competitions. Learn about primitive skills such as flint-knapping, bow making, fire starting, open fire cooking, and pottery. Parents and children can explore an encampment showing the lifestyle of local and regional historic Native American cultures where they can crawl inside of tipis and other traditional native dwellings.



The four-day festival also includes an artists’ marketplace where shoppers will find one-of-a-kind gift items. World-renowned Native and Native-inspired artists and crafters demonstrate their skills and offer hand-crafted items for sale.

Dates and times for the festival are as follows:
Thursday and Friday, Nov. 3 – 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For tickets and information, please visit www.stonemountainpark.com or call 1-800-401-2407.

2. Visit the Native Lands exhibit at the Atlanta History Center 

This interactive exhibit tells the history and stories of Georgia's original inhabitants through photos and artifacts. Long before the first European settlers came here, the Mississippian Indians developed complex societies on these lands – complete with art, music, ceremony, agriculture, architecture and trade industries. The Creeks and Cherokees left landmarks and cultural legacies prior to their 1830s removal on the Trail of Tears.

3. Watch a movie

Here is a list of educational movies that help celebrate the Native Americans. These are presented in an authentic way that celebrates their accomplishments.  

  • For younger children, a relatively new series called “Molly of Denali” was created by Alaska natives and is one of the first child-centered shows to feature a Native American lead. You can also find kid-friendly games on the PBS website centered around this show.
  • There is also a fascinating PBS miniseries called "Native America," that reaches back 15,000 years to reveal massive cities aligned to the stars, unique systems of science and spirituality, and 100 million people connected by social networks spanning two continents. See a preview here:

4. Read a book

This blog post by Rebekah Gienapp includes a great list of 20 children’s books about Native Americans and First Nations Canadians. These books are written by people who share the same identities as the indigenous peoples the books are about. Too often, history is written by the victor. These stories allow a different voice to be heard.



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