A big shout out to the Performers this year! For many attending our celebrations has turned into an inspiring tradition.
If you missed our first IPD Philly 2024 recap where we spotlighted our speakers, please visit this article: Highlighting Speakers from Philadelphia’s 8th Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration.
You can also watch the entire event on our YouTube channel or learn more on #IPDphilly2024 webpage!
EVENT OVERVIEW
This year, we proudly celebrated the 8th annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Philadelphia at Shackamaxon, also known as Penn Treaty Park. Held on October 14th from 11 am until 5 pm, the event became a vibrant showcase of “history, care, and joy—a surprising mixture,” as described by a Billy Penn journalist. This celebration brought together diverse individuals, including children, youth, parents, teachers, and community members. It highlighted the importance of unity and understanding. Attendees experienced inspiring performances, thought-provoking speeches, and a variety of vendors, making it an unforgettable day for all.
Featured Performers
In this second recap of our event, we want to highlight the amazing contributions from our Indigenous creative participants. We express our gratitude for their willingness to share their dances, songs, and stories with us. To this day, we continue to hear from attendees who say this was one of the best celebrations ever. Those who viewed the event on our YouTube channel have also echoed this sentiment. None of this would have been possible without the support and dedication that each participant brings every year. Please take a moment to see what each artist or group contributed. We encourage everyone to share this article so that as many people as possible can learn from it.
Curtis Zunigha is an enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. He is also a member of the Cherokee Nation. He presented the story of the Lenape people through language and history. Curtis used song and dance as well. Curtis is the co-founder and co-director of the Lenape Center in NYC. He has over 35 years of experience in tribal government, administration, community development, and cultural preservation. With drumming and singing, Curtis performed a Lenape honor song for the Lenape ancestors before leading a round dance.
→ Watch his first performance on our Livestream here (00:31:50-00:59:40).
→ Watch his second performance here (03:30:00-03:40:10).
Traveling from Boriken Island (“Puerto Rico”) is the Taíno-Borikua artist and educator Ra Jikotea Niaku’no Ruiz León. Ra founded Wuru Taíno Tekiro’uo, a grassroots organization. It focuses on promoting cultural and language education for the Taino community. Joining Ra on stage was one of her Taino language students, Rosa. First, they sang “We want,” where they sang about wanting justice, freedom, and landback. Rosa next performed her own Taino language song. Their last song encouraged the crowd to join them in a merengue dance.
→ Watch their performance on our Livestream here (01:08:14-01:26:00).
→ Learn more about Wuru Taíno Tekiro’uo here!
→ Listen to Ra on Spotify!
Angela Miracle Gladue aka Miss Chief Rocka [nehiyaw (Cree Frog Lake First Nation)] shared different styles of powwow dancing. These included the Fancy Shawl Dance, the Hoop Dance, and the Round Dance. The Fancy Shawl Dance is a contemporary style of performance dance. It was born in the 1970s with the American Indian Movement. This dance was a way for Indigenous people to reclaim dancing. Dancing had been outlawed across North America and Canada. The hoop dance, originating from Taos, New Mexico, is a healing and storytelling dance. Miss Chief Rocka then led the audience in the Hoop Dance and the Round Dance.
→ Watch their performance on our Livestream here (02:38:00-03:08:00).
→ Learn more about Miss Chief Rocka here!
Inkarayku, an Andes Fusion Band from NYC, performed folk songs in the Quechua language. Inkarayku is from the Quechua phrase “because of the Inca.” This year they invited a duo of dancers who demonstrated the Huayno (Waynu in Quechua). It is a genre of popular Andean music and dance. After the dancers performed their choreography, the crowd enthusiastically joined in for the remainder of Inkarayku’s set. Inkarayku returned to the stage later in the afternoon to perform more traditional Quechua folk songs.
→ Watch their first performance on our Livestream here (01:40:00-02:05:50).
→ Watch their second performance here (04:43:30-05:31:30)
→ Learn more about Inkarayku here!
Canpatlaneci, a Philadelphia-based multicultural Aztec dance troupe, performed ancestral dances of the Mexica Tribe from Tenochtitlan (“Mexico City”). Their first performance is of the symbolic and educational Maize (corn) dance. It represents the stages of corn from seeding to your kitchen table. Canpatlaneci performed a second dance later in the day.
→ Watch their first performance on our Livestream here (02:18:00-02:33:40).
→ Watch their second performance here (04:14:56-04:26:40)
Tchin, a nationally known Indigenous storyteller, delighted us once again. He shared his magical teachings of nature, love and how things came to be. Through the art of oral tradition, this year he led two sessions where the audience of all ages were elated.
→ At the request of the artist, there is no recording. However, you can learn more about Tchin here.
Edgar Alcantara is a talented Philadelphia-based artist, celebrated for his cultural heritage as a Native Mexican and Aztec dancer, as well as a skilled Mayan trumpet player. The Mayan trumpet, an integral part of rituals and ceremonies in both Mayan and Aztec traditions, showcases the depth of this vibrant culture. During his captivating performances, Edgar brought to life the spirit of the Bonampak mural—a stunning ancient artwork famous for its powerful depictions of trumpet playing. By supporting his art, you are not only enjoying a remarkable performance but also honoring the rich legacy of these ancient cultures.
→ Watch their performance on our Livestream here (03:42:00-03:50:00).
Vaughnda Hilton (Seminole-Creek and Blackfeet descent) is a dancer and choreographer. She is the founder and director of the Native Nations Dance Theater (NNDT). NNDT was founded in Philadelphia in 1991. NNDT is a professional Native American dance company based in Philadelphia that tours globally. At the event, Vaughnda performed rattle songs, drum songs, and social dances. After, she invited the audience to join in both the singing and dancing.
→ Watch their performance on our Livestream here (03:57:50-04:14:00).
→ Learn more about the Native Nations Dance Theater here!
Returning from IPD Philly 2023, Marcus (Quese IMC) Frejo (Pawnee Skidi Wolf Clan and Seminole Bear Clan) was our first and closing performer. Marcus is an accomplished hip-hop artist, speaker, activist, organizer, actor, producer, and writer. He welcomed us with traditional greetings in the Pawnee and Seminole language. Marcus played the traditional flute. He sang two songs. The second song is a Pawnee morning prayer song to honor his ancestors. Marcus performed again later in the event, rapping and leading a round dance.
→ Watch their first performance on our Livestream here (00:24:15-00:30:30).
→ Watch their second performance here (05:36:00-06:03:20)
THANK YOU!
IPD Philly is incredibly honored. So many amazing performers have shared their cultures, histories, and traditions with us. They did this through song, dance, and music. We deeply appreciate everyone who performed, volunteered and attended the event. We also thank the individuals who donated. Their donations supported IPD Philly’s 8th Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event at Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park.
We look forward to continuing our work throughout Philadelphia. We aim to bring awareness to the Lenape/Delaware peoples and the depth of Indigenous cultures and histories throughout Turtle Island and Abya Yala.
To continue supporting IPD Philly and our ongoing educational projects, you can donate. This is in addition to the annual event. You can donate on our website!
IPD PHILLY TEAM
