By Rebecca Bratek:
This Saturday and Sunday, the Seneca Nation of Indians, along with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Buffalo Place, will be hosting the first-annual Buffalo Creek Native Festival downtown at the historic Central Wharf.
The Seneca Nation created this festival in order to celebrate the rich heritage and culture of the Iroquois-Seneca Indians. Through this festival, they hope to highlight and commemorate artists within the Iroquois-Seneca communities while educating the public on the historic tribes’ cultures and the influence the Buffalo Creek and the Central Wharf have had on those histories.
“It’s the first kind of native festival, that I know of being done in downtown Buffalo and we’re really excited to have it down in the Central Wharf,” said Alex Jimerson, the tourism development coordinator for the Seneca Nation. “We feel the Central Wharf and Buffalo Creek are really significant and integral to the Seneca and Iroquois history, as far as Buffalo Creek is concerned for our homeland and how big of a part it was for our commerce, trading, and waterways for travel purposes.”
The festival kicks off Saturday, August 6th, at 10 a.m. with an opening prayer. Throughout the day, patrons can enjoy cultural activities, vendors, and taste traditional foods.
There will be traditional Seneca stories for the children; while Iroquois social dances will instructed and demonstrated to help get festival goers on their feet and moving. Craft demonstrations will give everyone a chance to make traditional Iroquois crafts of their own to take home and traditional games will be led by educators from the Seneca Language and Cultural program and the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.
On Saturday night, starting at 7 p.m., everyone is welcomed to the Haudenosaunee Social to share in a night of full of fun and Iroquois social dancing and singing.
The festival is open to the public, free-of-charge and is located on the Buffalo Canal Side of the Central Wharf in downtown Buffalo. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to reserve spots in the many cultural demonstrations.
For more information or if you have any questions, contact Alex Jimerson at alex.jimerson@sni.org.
While you’re down at Canalside, here’s the upcoming line-up:
Friday, August 5
Erie Canal Story by Buffalo Tours: One Hour Guided Walking Tour
Canalside: Whipple Truss Bridge – Central Wharf side
12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm – Free
Friday Family Fun on the Central Wharf with Explore & More Children’s Museum
“Native Western New Yorkers”
Canalside: Central lawn
12:00 Noon to 4:00 pm – Free
Groups of more than 10 children must pre-register by calling 716/655-5131.
Songs of the Erie Canal Puppet Theatre performed by Franklin LaVoie
Canalside: South Grass Area -Under the Big Trees
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm – Free
MusicalFare Theatre presents a character from Buffalo’s heyday – multiple performances for a four hour period
Canalside: Historic Ruins – Commercial Slip
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Free
Canal Side Astronomy with the Buffalo Astronomical Association
Enjoy observations of the sun, moon and celestial objects.
Canalside: Central Wharf
6:00 pm to 11:00 pm – Free
Saturday, August 6
Buffalo Creek Native Festival
A two-day family oriented festival showcasing an often overlooked segment of Buffalo’s history and culture, that of the Seneca and other Haudenosaunee people who inhabited the Buffalo Creek Reservation prior to the 1840’s.
Canalside: Central Wharf & Cobblestone Streets
10:00 am to 7:00 pm – Free
Friday Family Fun on the Central Wharf with Explore & More Children’s Museum
“Native Western New Yorkers”
12:00 Noon to 4:00 pm – Free
Groups of more than 10 children must pre-register by calling 716/655-5131.
Erie Canal Story by Buffalo Tours: One Hour Guided Walking Tour
Canalside: Whipple Truss Bridge – Central Wharf side
12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm – Free
Sunday, August 7
Buffalo Creek Native Festival
Canalside: Central Wharf & Cobblestone Streets
10:00 am to 6:00 pm – Free
Beginner’s Yoga
Canalside: Central lawn
10:00 am to 11:00 am – Free
Intermediate Yoga
Canalside: Central lawn
11:30 am to 12:30 pm – Free
Erie Canal Story by Buffalo Tours: One Hour Guided Walking Tour
Canalside: Whipple Truss Bridge – Central Wharf side
12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm – Free
Yogalates
Canalside: Central lawn
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – Free
Boat Ride with Buffalo Maritime Center aboard the White Elektra or OK Clark
Canalside: Commercial Slip – Central Wharf side
2:00 pm – Weather Permitting – Free
(First come-first served with no reservations accepted.)
MusicalFare Theatre presents a character from Buffalo’s heyday – multiple performances for a four hour period
Canalside: Historic Ruins – Commercial Slip
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Free
Monday, August 8
Science Outdoors with Tifft Nature Preserve
Learn more about the rich biodiversity of the plants and animals of WNY and how everything connects.
Canalside: Central lawn
11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Free
Zumba on the Waterfront
Exercise and Dance to Music
Canalside: Central lawn
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm – Free
Tuesday, August 9
Yogalates
Canalside: Central lawn
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm – Free
Wednesday, August 10
Boat Ride with Buffalo Maritime Center aboard the White Elektra or OK Clark
Canalside: Commercial Slip – Central Wharf side
5:00 pm – Weather Permitting – Free
(First come-first served with no reservations accepted.)
MusicalFare Theatre presents a character from Buffalo’s heyday – multiple performances for a four hour period
Canalside: Historic Ruins – Commercial Slip
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Free
Sunset Yoga
Canalside: Central lawn
7:30 pm to 8:30 pm – Free