“If the stories fall silent, who will teach the children?”
TUSCUMBIA-The 11th annual Oka Kapassa Festival – Return to Cold Water, will be held in
Spring Park, Tuscumbia, Alabama, on Friday and Saturday, September 13 and 14th. More than 100 American Indian artists, 
dancers and cultural demonstrators will gather to celebrate the richness and diversity of their heritage with the Shoals community. For two exciting days, Tuscumbia will be the center of Native American art and culture as more than 5,000 visitors celebrate and share the traditions. Friday, September 13, is School Day, focusing on educating the youth of the surrounding area. The festival continues all day on Saturday, September 14. There is no charge to attend. The festival has been named a Top Twenty Event by the Southeast Tourism Society.
Spring Park will come alive with dugout canoe demonstrations, flint knapping, storytelling, a Chickasaw language area, Choctaw heritage booth, Native American flute music, Cherokee baskets, stone carving , pottery, cloth dolls, and beadwork. From out West, the festival will welcome Navajo jewelry and beadwork. Both Chickasaw and Choctaw 
will demonstrate a traditional Stickball game. Comanche author Ron Cooper will share how he walked the Trail of Tears. Creek shell carver Dan Townsend returns to share his traditional art. Townsend’s work is in collections throughout the world. Collectors and admirers of Native American art will have opportunities to purchase both contemporary and traditional examples.
Hoop Dancer Lyndon Alec will return to this year’s festival to bring his impressive talent to audiences. The plaintive tones of the Indian flute will be offered by William Harjo, with additional authentic music by Injunuity, a group based in Ada,
Oklahoma, and Native dancing demonstrations will be presented by the Choctaw Dancers from Philadelphia, Mississippi, and the Chickasaw Dance Troupe from Ada, Oklahoma. At Oka Kapassa, guests may sample traditional Chickasaw pashofa, buffalo burgers, Indian tacos, and roasted corn. The public is invited to come out and learn about this heritage and enjoy connecting with the life-ways of our Native neighbors.
To register school groups for Friday’s activities, contact Tammy Wynn at 256-765-4359, trwynn@una.edu, or 1-800-760-7517. The day opens at 9:00 a.m., with demonstrations completed by 2:00 pm. In recognition of the role of the townspeople in aiding the American Indians with food and clothing during the Indian Removal of the 1830’s, the log cabin (adjacent to Spring Park on Dickson Street), will be open from 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., on school day, with demonstrations of pioneer life. School groups may also visit this site at no charge.
On Saturday, September 14, Spring Park will open at 9:00 a.m. 
Demonstrations and entertainment by all the artists are scheduled throughout the day with the Grand Entry of Indians and Veteran’s Salute slated to take place at 11:30 a.m. The Pioneer log cabin will be open from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with living history. Creek Chief Chilly McIntosh was quoted as saying, “”As long as our people remain on the earth, we will recollect Tuscumbia.” And so it is.
For more information: visit www.okakapassa.org, or contact Colbert County Tourism at 256-383-0783 Festival Chairman Terry McGee may also be contacted at 256-757-4438.
