Friday, January 20th marked the first ever Native American Cultural Arts Festival in Lincoln, NE. The program began with “Little Big Shorts,” short films produced by Native American Public Telecommunications (NAPT). Poetry Jam and Open Mic followed with performances by Native Daughters project members, University of Nebraska Inter-Tribal Exchange students, Omaha hand drum and singing group Urban Crew, Culture Shock Camp, and several others. After the Open Mic session, festival goers participated in charcoal drawing and beadwork art workshops. The night ended with exhibition dancing and a performance by Culture Shock Camp, an award-winning hip hop group comprised of two Pawnee/Seminole brothers.
This event was sponsored by the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, the Southeast Nebraska Native American Coalition (SENNAC), Lincoln Public Schools Indian Education Program, the Nebraska Arts Council, and Nebraska Cultural Endowment with special thanks to the Ponca Tribal Youth Program and the Joslyn Art Museum.
