Hundreds attend festival on Native American culture

Hundreds of area residents attended the third annual Cultural Celebration of Native Americans Saturday at the University Museum. Representatives from numerous tribes travelled from around the country to show how their ancestors lived in the "old days" with arts and crafts displays, video presentations, dances, storytelling sessions and films. Louella Johnson, a Crow Indian from Montana, demonstrated tribal lullabies during the event. "[If others] learn more about us and what we're about, we'll reach a greater understanding and we can get along better," Johnson said. The diverse representation of tribal art included the intricate beadwork of the Chippewa, the porcupine quill work of the Crow Indians and the hand woven rugs of the Navajo. Museum visitors were given the opportunity to see the creation of the art and to purchase several pieces. The artwork was important in another sense, however, as it showed the living spirit of the Indians. "I think the Indians are still alive," said Yoruba, an artist with Peace Tools. "Their art of living is still alive." Some of the people who attended said they were surprised that so many people attended the exhibit. "I've lived in Pennsylvania for 14 years," said Karen Walsh, an area resident. "It's only been in the last couple of years that I've seen any interest at all in Native American culture." There was some speculation that the increased awareness could stem from the publicity surrounding the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World. Many events were designed specifically for children who could learn firsthand about Native American artwork. There were workshops that taught sand painting, making masks and Iroquois "talking sticks." "We're delighted by the turnout," said Pam Kosty, University Museum spokesperson. "It's great for us to see a lot of people since it's rare for us to be able to bring Native Americans from all around the country and from so far away." The visiting Indians strove for an authentic rather than a carnival atmosphere. "We're pleased with the high quality of the presentations we were able to offer," Kosty added. "We'd like to invite Penn students to find out about the additional world culture days and the film series, exhibitions and lectures coming later on in the year." The event was co-sponsored by the American Indian College Fund, an organization that raises awareness and funds for the 26 American Indian tribal colleges around the U.S.

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