Date: August 29, 2017
Contact: Jane Farmer, (662) 680-4015
TUPELO, MS: The Natchez Trace Parkway and the Chickasaw Inkana Foundation (CIF) will host a program to celebrate Chickasaw cultural history on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm. The Chickasaw Dance Troupe will perform traditional dances, and experts will speak about Chickasaw cultural history.
“We are honored to partner with the CIF and provide a venue where scholars of Chickasaw history can share their knowledge. We look forward to hearing more about the culture of the Chickasaw people and seeing how talented Chickasaw dancers are keeping their traditions alive,” said Superintendent Mary Risser.
Guest speakers will be the Chickasaw Nation’s Director of Research and Cultural Interpretation LaDonna Brown, who will speak on Historical Findings on the Chickasaw Village Site, and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Mississippi Dr. Robbie Ethridge, who will speak on From Chicaza to Chickasaw: Hernando de Soto and the Transformation of the Chickasaws. The dance troupe will perform after each speaker.
CIF Chairperson Hank (H.T.) Holmes stated, “We are excited to partner with the Natchez Trace Parkway as part of our 2017 Celebrations series. Forming lasting partnerships is critical to CIF’s mission to preserve, protect, and interpret Chickasaw history and culture in the Homeland. The Chickasaw Nation Dance Troupe and the exceptional scholar guest speakers will provide attendees with an opportunity to develop a greater appreciation for the region’s Chickasaw heritage.”
This event is part of the 2017 Mini-Celebration program series sponsored by the CIF. The final program in the series will be held in Holly Springs, Mississippi on September 14, 2017.
This program is free to the public. Indoor auditorium seating for the lectures is limited to 55. Weather permitting; the dance troupe will perform outside with no audience size limit. The Visitor Center is located at milepost 266 on the Natchez Trace Parkway, near Tupelo, Mississippi. For additional information, please call (662) 680-4027 or (800) 305-7417.
America's federal lands and waters are living classrooms. Make learning come alive by participating in Every Kid in Park. All current 4th graders and their families can visit national parks, monuments, seashores and more for free. Learn more at www.everykidinapark.gov
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov
