The 39th Annual Red Earth Festival begins this weekend in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The festival celebrates Native American art, dance and culture, creating an immersive experience for anyone interested in learning more about the Indigenous peoples living in North America before the European invasion.
“The Red Earth Festival is a vibrant showcase of Native artistry and tradition, and we’re excited to welcome attendees from across the country,” said Chelsey Curry, Red Earth, Inc. executive director. “This year’s festival offers immersive experiences that highlight the creativity and craftsmanship of Indigenous artists.”
Thirty years ago, I attended my first festival. Walking into the artisans’ gallery filled my heart with pride and my eyes with tears. Knowing I am a descendant of warriors, community activists, spiritual leaders, and world-champion artisans reminded me of my ancestors, who paved the way for me to walk on a road while they suffered at the hands of white supremacy.
Gazing at the breathtaking paintings and marveling at the stunning beadwork, one can see that the history of the Native American people is an expression of beauty and pain. Long before the arrival of Europeans and the establishment of the United States, the Indigenous peoples of the Americas lived within a symbiotic system of tribes composed of complex economic networks and holistic practices advocating shared resources.
Native peoples knew they and the world were created by the Father Spirit and belonged to Mother Earth. Thus, they saw themselves as caretakers of life within this world. Father and Mother gave humans everything they would ever need, so the concept of “ownership” was foreign to them.
How can someone own the earth when the land was there before birth and will be there after death?
Moving through the artisans’ gallery of the festival, the waft of “Indian” tacos and frybread filled the air. Before the invasion and genocide, Native peoples were hunters and gatherers, surviving on the resources Mother Earth provided.
They followed the buffalo herds, dining on lean meats and the plants Mother Earth sent. After Europeans and Americans forced them onto reservations and demanded they turn into farmers, their diets and ways of life were tragically altered by the forced assimilation of white supremacy.
After delighting in some authentic “Indian” food, I heard the drums beating in the auditorium. The time for the dancers’ grand entrance was calling.
As I entered the arena, I froze. I was transfixed by the vibrant colors of the fancy dancers swirling across the floor, the majesty of the feathers and painted faces, the absolute beauty and stoicism of female dancers covered in leather, ribbons and blankets, and the enthusiasm of children filled with an innocence of an era long since departed.
The dancers’ grace, power and beauty told the story of my people—a people filled with heartache and hope.
One female fancy dancer caught my eye, sending me into my thoughts and spirit. As she danced across the floor in perfect rhythm with the drums, I remembered my grandmother, Okema Randall.
My paternal grandmother was a world-champion fancy dancer who traveled across the country, educating and advocating for Native causes. My grandmother was a beautiful soul who instilled in me the importance of my sacred heritage and culture. Her passion and love for her culture inspired me to seek my ancestral ways to become a better human, citizen and person of faith.
Knowing more about my heritage, both positive and negative, has helped me understand my family history. Hearing about the injustice they experienced at the hands of colonists and Americans does not make me hate this country or white people—I no longer have the time or energy to let hate consume me.
Unfortunately, an effort is underway to whitewash any history of European Colonists and American settlers misbehaving and acting evil. The Trump administration has launched attacks on what it defines as the evils of “DEI” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and “wokeness.”
Before our eyes, the federal government is attempting to erase evidence that our country was founded on stolen lands, genocide, and slave labor. Earlier this month, the Department of Defense (DOD) removed mention of Native American Code Talkers who assisted the Allied forces during World War II. After outcries from the public, the DOD put them back up.
In addition, the Black Lives Matter Plaza located in Washington D.C., just outside the White House, was demolished this month. Good Faith Media’s Rev. Dr. Starlette Thomas was there to report on the attempted erasure and offer a witness to the event.
Thomas said, “Breaking up this ground doesn’t break the human spirit. Instead, it tills it for new expressions of liberation. This is just a new beginning.”
The “new beginning” must start now. People of good faith must stand up, speak out and step forward to stop this attempted erasure of history.
If the powerful can rewrite history into their image, future generations will be robbed of truth. They will build a future based on a skewed foundation serving the wealthy and powerful. This erasure must be stopped!
The genocide of Native Americans by European colonists and American settlers spilled the blood of my ancestors so deep and so vast that the earth will forever be tinged with red. Trump and his disciples might be successful in silencing the truth on websites and classrooms, but they will never be able to wash away the red earth stained with the blood of my people.
As Red Earth begins this week, let us never forget the truth behind our history. Jesus rightly reminded us, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). It is time for the free people of this world to soar high above the lows of authoritarian rule.
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