Monday, May 18, 2009

Taino Participate in NY Native Festival

Inwood Hill Park, NY (UCTP Taino News) – Members of the Cacibahagua Taino Cultural Society joined other Indigenous Peoples at the Drums Along the Hudson Festival this past Sunday. The festival was hosted by Sandra Bookman, the Weekend Anchor for WABC-TV News, and featured Native American Performers, the Kahurangi Maori Dance Theater from New Zealand, dancers from India and Peru, and a Pow Wow. After a blessing by local Mohawk Nation representatives, the Cacibahagua Taino Cultural Society had the honor of participating in the opening ceremony of the program presenting the song of the sea turtle. Members of Cacibahagua also exhibited and demonstrated Taino cultural items as well as distributed information related to the United Confederation of Taino People throughout the day at the Storytellers Tent. Drums Along the Hudson is a free event presented by Lotus Music and Dance, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, JP Morgon Chase, and WABC-TV.

Photo: Members of the Cacibahagua Taino Cultural Society at the 2009 Drums Along the Hudson Festival. (Photo credit: M. Sague)


UCTPTN 05.18.2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Drums Along The Hudson Festival This Weekend


New York (UCTP Taino News) - The Seventh Annual “Drums Along the Hudson: A Native American Festival” will take place on Sunday, May 17th, 2009 in Upper Manhattan’s Inwood Hill Park from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm, rain or shine. The event is FREE to the public and presented by Lotus Music & Dance in collaboration with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and is sponsored in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and WABC-TV. DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON features Manhattan’s only open air pow wow, which is a celebratory gathering of Native people. This year’s pow wow will be led by Louis Mofsie and the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers and will feature other indigenous and international artists including a special opening ceremony presentation by the Cacibajagua Taino Cultural Society.

A multi cultural family-oriented festival, Drums Along the Hudson includes exhibitions of world dance and drumming traditions as well as Native American crafts and international cuisines. The festival combines a celebration of Native American heritage, culture, and art with the diversity of New York City itself. In keeping with the underlying theme of environmental appreciation and education, DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON will continue to feature an Environmental Tent which will include demonstrations by organizations and artists dedicated to promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle and an information and Caribbean Indigenous Exhibit table sponsored by the United Confederation of Taino People.

During the day, between the hours of 1pm and 3pm, the festival organizers will honor two individuals and or organizations for their contributions to either Humanitarian Services or the Environment. This year’s honorees are Mohawk Elder & Author Tom Porter and Laura Turner Seydel, Environmentalist & Chairman of the Captain Planet Foundation. Sandra Bookman, weekend anchor for WABC-TV, will host the event. For more information visit the Drums Along the Hudson website at http://www.drumsalongthehudson.org/ .

UCTPTN 05.12.2009