Nomad at the Red Earth Festival

The Nomads have attended the 3 day Red Earth Festival, the Grand Pow Wow at Okla City in Oklahoma, USA. This annual Native American cultural event is the largest of its' kind in the world, with a history dating back to 1978. Its' mission to promote, educate and celebrate the rich traditions of American Indian arts. This highly respected inter-tribal event showcases the vibrant culture of the native american nations to both its' own community, as well as to the world.

The name chosen to promote the event and its' profile as a festival clearly focuses on its cultural mission, by which it differentiates itself from the many tribal Pow Wows held throughout the year and throughout the country. The location of Okla city, the capital of the state Oklahoma, is also not a random choice for a large inter-tribal event. Oklahoma was once known as designated Indian Country. The region where all native tribes east of the Mississippi river were forcefully moved to in the early 19th century. End station of the infamous trail of tears. Today its the state with the largest number of Native American Nations.


Although a community of displaced peoples, with many different tribal affiliations the American Indians here have been united in their resilience to resist forced assimilation into white society. Today the transfer of traditions by teaching ancient native american knowledge and skills to new generations has instilled the young with a much needed sense of pride. There are many social problems still facing the American Indian today, but as far as they are rooted in a crisis of identity, this cultural event and the ones like it help give new generations a foundation of communal pride.


Centuries of attempts to break the will of the Native American have left their scars on his soul. But seeing grandfathers teaching grandsons the old traditions of dance, song and drums and the enthusiasm in which second, third and fourth generations apply their learnings together gives a nomad much hope and vision for the future of all peoples.


Isn't there a great annual festival in the city of The Hague that is searching to transform nostalgia into the transfer and re-invention of its' own cultural heritage? Grooming their next generations to become involved in the evolution? Did not that same festival change its name from Pasar Malam Besar to Tong Tong Fair and Festival, to differentiate itself from the many Pasar Malam Pow Wows around the country and throughout the year?


While the Red Earth Festival can certainly learn from the Tong Tong Festival how to work its culinary culture. The Tong Tong Festival might learn from the Red Earth Festival how to align and unite the different generations in common activity.