Annual Basketry Classes for Tunica-Biloxi Family Members Return Oct. 5
Marksville, La. – (Sept. 19, 2016) – The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Language and Culture Revitalization Program (LCRP) announced its Intertribal Basketry Summit and annual Pine Needle Basketry class schedule beginning in October.
The LCRP invites master weavers throughout regional American Indian communities to its Intertribal Basketry Summit Saturday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Cultural and Educational Resources Center (CERC), located on the Tunica-Biloxi reservation (150 Melacon Road, Marksville, Louisiana 71351). The inaugural summit will serve as an informal forum for participants to share elements of their culture and demonstrate southeast basketry using pine needle, river cane and palmetto. Master weavers from 11 tribal communities in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma will be on hand to demonstrate and discuss their unique styles. Various weavers will have their basket creations available for sale at the event.
The Intertribal Basketry Summit is free and open to the public. Participants at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels are encouraged to attend and learn. Registration for weaver participants is $15 and includes lunch. Participants must register in advance by contacting Ryan Lopez at rlopez@tunica.org or (318) 240-6433.
The LCRP will host its annual series of Pine Needle Basketry classes to enrich cultural traditions for Tunica-Biloxi families Oct. 5 – Nov. 16. The weekly classes will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday in the CERC building.
For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi’s Language & Culture Revitalization Program events and courses, visit www.tunica.org/language-and-culture or call (800) 272-9767.
About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe
The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and “like” us on Facebook.