IAIS Planning Sixth Annual Green Corn Festival

WASHINGTON — Corn has long been an integral part of the annual cycle of life for Native American people.

“Green Corn Festivals are held all over Native America between May and October. The events are both a celebration and a religious ceremony. They celebrate the ripening of the first corn of the year depending on geographic location,” said Dale Carson, a writer and master chef of Abenaki descent. “The whole idea is to give thanks to the Creator, the Great Spirit, for the corn, the rain and sun that nurture it.

“Customs vary from tribe to tribe, as do activities and the length of the celebration,” he continued. “Some go on for days, some are only one-day affairs. The giving of Thanks for food is sacred for Native American people of all nations. The event is a time for feasting, dancing, and celebrating life by visiting with friends and family.”

The public is invited to attend the 2011 Green Corn Festival at The Institute for American Indian Studies, to be held Saturday, August 6, from 11 am until 3 pm.

For the sixth year, IAIS staff and friends will celebrate the first local corn of the season with fun-filled activities for the whole family, including drumming, dancing, face painting, kids’ crafts, and more.

Featured musicians will include The Wampanoag Dancers & Singers, with traditional Eastern Woodland songs and dances; guitar music by Ojibwa musician and artist Allan Madahbee; and singing and drumming with the Sint-Sink Singers. There will also be Native American folk tales told by storyteller Janis Us (Mohawk-Shinnecock descent).

The event, which will also offer arts and crafts for sale by local Native American artisans, Native inspired crafts for children of all ages and face painting, will run rain or shine.

A taste of traditional cooking will be offered in the outdoor Algonkian Village, hosted by Dale Carson, and pow-wow-style food will also be available for purchase.

Admission is $10 adults, $6 Children, payable at the door. The festival will be on the grounds of the museum, at 38 Curtis Road. Call 860-868-0518 or visit www.birdstone.org for additional information.