"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path

VINITA, OK - Honoring the time-honored traditions of Native American culture, the Vinita Indian Territory Day will take place on Saturday, November 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Craig County Fairgrounds in Vinita.

The event will offer activities that everyone in the family can enjoy. Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council Members, Kinsey Shade and Michelle Locust along with Jr. Miss Cherokee Feather Smith will entertain audiences with traditional Cherokee stories. Visitors can also enjoy the toe tapping sounds of the fiddle, gospel music and the soothing melody of the Native American flute. Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, will offer a historical lecture at 1 p.m.

Members of the Vinita Johnson O’Malley committee will offer instruction on how to make fry bread and grape dumplings at 10 a.m. Demonstrations on basket weaving, pottery, how to make corn husk dolls, finger weaving, how to make mini stickballs sticks, blow-gun making, beadwork and moccasins will be take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Several children’s events will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children’s events include stick horse races, gunny sack races and dummy roping.

Other events include the story of Vinita, cowboy poetry and a Quapaw and Osage storyteller. In addition, beginning at 9 a.m. history and instruction in traditional games will be offered outside the Faye Apperson Building. Traditional games events will include stickball, Cherokee marbles, horseshoes and a cornstalk shoot.

The Cherokee Nation Public Health Nursing staff will also offer free flu shots and free health information. Everyone is encouraged to attend. The event is free to the public.