Native flute festival celebrates culture

By Travina Coleman
Phoenix Staff Writer

September 27, 2007 06:26 pm

— A flute circle at the Cherokee Heritage Center has inspired a new celebration for Native American culture in the central region of the United States.
The circle that began with two or three members now has membership of more than 20, not including the new friends they have made with other circles across the country.
“We decided we wanted to hold a larger festival to share our passion with people around the country,” said Joyce Barnes, of the OK Flute Festival.
Mickel Yantz, curator for the Cherokee Heritage Museum said the festival will have two days of performances, 50 vendors and three days of workshops.
Yantz said the flute has always been an important part of Native American history and musicians play the flute as a way of preserving their history and culture.
“It has been wonderful,” he said. “People will be coming from Alaska, Utah, Virginia and other states. Having the Internet has really helped set off the festival.”
Participants will be offered a variety of free educational workshops, performances by musicians and art by the Cherokee Artists Association.
“Education is a key component when sharing a revitalizing genre like the Native American flute,” Barnes said. “We want people to share in the passion of the music and history. This is also why the festival is free.”
Robert Lewis, Cherokee Heritage Center storyteller, participates in the flute circle to expand on his performances. He said there is a song he wants to learn that inspired one of his stories.
“I want to be able to play the flute myself as I tell the story,” Lewis said.
Yantz said the festival will have an outdoor stage and music will be running both days of the event.
“We are taking over the grounds at Tenkiller Lodge,” he said. “It should be fun, we have workshops on every aspect of flutes, from the making of them, to playing them.”
Reach Travina Coleman at 684-2901.