The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. On Friday and Saturday, it will be the site of the American Indigenous Arts Celebration.
The festival is one of the best opportunities to experience Native culture, living traditions, and artistry in one place. Said Museum Director Gordon Wareham, “It is both a celebration and an invitation to learn, connect, and honor Indigenous heritage.”
Highlights include a live painting demonstration by Seminole artist Elgin Jumper, a hoop dance workshop with world-renowned Tony Duncan and a fashion show by Seminole designer Lenora Roberts.
Both admission and parking are free.
November is National Native American Heritage Month.
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The American Indigenous Arts Celebration (AIAC) runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
It is held on the museum’s festival grounds in Big Cypress.
The celebration begins with a Grand Entry Powwow led by Seminole Medicine Man Bobby Henry, tribal dignitaries, Native drummers, dancers, and hoop dance performers.
Visitors will be immersed in cultural traditions while enjoying a schedule packed with entertainment for the whole family including Pharaoh’s Wildlife Kingdom critter show, alligator wrestling with Billy Walker, Powwow dancers & Native drummers, and hoop dance competition.
Fashion lovers will experience two unforgettable runway moments. On Friday, guests will enjoy a showcase by students of the Ahfachkee School and on Saturday a fashion show by Seminole designer Lenora Roberts.
Additional highlights include Mexican Cultural Academy Dance exhibits presented by Ameyal Productions, a photo opportunity with Native American actor Dallas Goldtooth, and meet and greet with the new Miss Florida Seminole and Junior Miss Seminole 2025.
Throughout the event, visitors can shop from authentic Native craft vendors and artists, enjoy traditional food vendors, and take advantage of free admission to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, home to an extraordinary collection of Seminole history and culture.
The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum opened in 1997. Situated in the Everglades on a 66-acre campus with an expansive mile-long boardwalk through a stunning cypress dome on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, the museum offers more than 5,000 square feet of gallery space. Exhibits feature rare artifacts and lifelike dioramas that depict Seminole life at the turn of the century.
In 2009, the museum became the first tribally governed museum to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
For more information, telephone 863-902-1113 or visit www.ahtahthiki.com and follow the museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is located at 34725 W. Boundary Road, Clewiston.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
