Shako:wi Cultural Center hosting Spring Festival
The Oneida Indian Nation’s Shako:wi Cultural Center is hosting a Spring Festival on Saturday, May 11, 2024 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Guests will find original hand-made Oneida and other Haudenosaunee arts and crafts available for sale, including one-of-a-kind jewelry, beadwork, wood carvings, textiles, ceramics, and much more.
The free to attend family-friendly event also will feature traditional storytelling, a Mother’s Day craft activity and lacrosse stick demonstrations held throughout the day.
Similar to previous craft fairs held at Shako:wi, the event will feature a Haudenosaunee Smoke Dance competition at 1 pm, bringing together talented dancers of all ages for the entertaining traditional dance. The brilliant colors and intricate designs of traditional Haudenosaunee regalia will be on full display during the fast-paced dance that is sure to entertain.
A Fry Bread competition also will be held throughout the event.
Guests will have an opportunity to purchase tickets to sample the entries and vote for their favorite of this traditional Native food. Only 50 Fry Bread judging tickets will be sold for $5 each. Prizes will be given for first and second place.
The competitions are open to Oneida Indian Nation Members, Oneida Indian Nation Health Services Clients and other American Indians in good standing.
The Shako:wi Cultural Center
A hand-crafted white pine log building on Nation Homelands, the Shako:wi Cultural Center features a variety of artifacts and exhibits to help guests experience thousands of years of Oneida history, from the key role they played as allies of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War to the current day, as the Oneida people have worked to revitalize their community.
Shako:wi is located at 5 Territory Road, Oneida, NY 13421 and open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays (April 1 to Oct. 31) from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information, call (315) 829-8801.