Flagler County, FL – Marking the return of the Native American Festival to Flagler County, it was record-setting attendance over the weekend as residents and visitors flocked to Princess Place Preserve in Flagler County.
Offering a variety of entertainment options, attendees were treated to a look at traditional Native American attire and tribal dances as members representing a dozen or so tribes stepped into the arena to share their stories.
While no words were exchanged, the dances themselves are the stories, passed down for centuries among the generations. Dances depicted the strength and cunning of warriors during the hunts and battles with dances like the ‘Duck and Dive’, while spotlighting a woman’s revered place in the home with the ‘Jingle Dress Dance’.
“We want to pass it on and help others. That’s all we can do,” said Kiowa tribesman Duane Whitehorse.
“Native Americans are not allowed to brag in public it’s a no-no, so the only way we have of telling people what we did was dance. We would dance in pantomime and show you the different things that we did while we were out hunting, while we were out on a work journey.”
“The warriors of the plain, they earned these Eagle feathers, the right to wear them. For every good deed, for every brave deed, for every deed of generosity, you would earn an Eagle feather. As you amassed a few Eagles you were able to make a war bonnet,” he explained to the crowd.
The event included educational encampments, led by Muskogee (Creek) tribesman Jim ‘Sawgrass’ Boettner, a co-founder of the Flagler County Native American Festival. Perched along the waterfront, it was a look at how Native Americans lived as settlers headed to the new land.
Sawgrass spent time interacting with the children, teaching them Native American games, while discussing how young men and women learned as children the skills they would need as adults.
“The girls had to learn to take care of these dolls as if they were children,” said Sawgrass displaying cornhusk dolls.
“Women are the keepers of the home and it’s pretty much true to this day. The men’s job was to put food on the table, and that meant you’re going to be out and about and know how to survive,” he said, demonstrating a blow gun for the audience.
“A lot of the boys’ skills and games taught them the skill of hunting and aiming.”
Heading down from Georgia, Vieni Taamilo wanted the opportunity to see Sawgrass’ son, Cody Boettner perform his hoop dance routine. As the 2019 World Champion Hoop Dancer, Boettner is a staple at the annual pow wow, and a huge draw for audiences.
“I know his aunt Amy and I just love the way he dances. That’s actually why I came here, is to see him,” she said, immersing herself in the cultural atmosphere.
“It’s so important for all of us, for our generations to come, especially now. It’s important because it’s who we are. We identify with the person we are, our nationality, our race. I’m Polynesian/Samoan from Hawaii, so this is fits right in, like right at home,” said Taamilo.
The Native American Festival is one of Flagler County’s signature annual events, hosted by Flagler County’s Parks & Recreation Department.
“We’ve had a fantastic weekend, fantastic weather. We had record attendance yesterday and close to record attendance today, so I really appreciate everybody coming out and supporting this event, Flagler County and the parks and recreation department,” said Frank Barbuti, manager of Flagler County’s parks and recreation department with pride.
“We couldn’t have started this up without Jim (Sawgrass) and going forward, even still to this day, he’s a co-coordinator with me, gave me the reins two years ago, but he’s always been a solid support for us here in Flagler County,” he said.
As a co-founder of the event, Barbuti still enjoys the simple things.
“Seeing all the people out here enjoying this and hearing all the feedback from people is just so wonderful,” he said. “(Some have) never been here to Princess Place. It’s awareness for the Flagler County parks, Princess Place, and getting the word out to the public.”
