The Third Annual First Voices Festival
Located in Atlanta, Georgia on Muscogee (Creek) land, 7 Stages joins forces with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, the L5P Business Association and Plaza Theatre in producing the third annual First Voices Festival, A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures. November 2024 activities will include the world premiere of What Are You? by Nicolette Emanuelle, an outdoor PowWow with Native American performers and vendors, an Art of Activism dialogue with Muscogee (Creek) elder William Harjo, and a special screening of the documentary Bad River at Plaza Theatre.
-What Are You?-
November 7-24, 2024
7 Stages Theatre • 1105 Euclid Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
What Are You? is an exploration of what it means to be multi-racial in America. Created and performed by Nicolette Emanuelle, who has roots in the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, this original production delves into the complexities of racial identity through a blend of movement, music, and personal testimonies. Confronting the relentless question “what are you?” Nicolette and the ensemble weave together striking and moving commonalities found in interviews with other multi-racial individuals, highlighting their unique struggles and the beauty of their identities. Click here to learn more about What Are You?
-Art of Activism-
November 15, 2024 at 5:30 PM
7 Stages Theatre • 1105 Euclid Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
Join together at 7 Stages for an evening of conversation and a shared meal, kicking off a full weekend of festivities with special guest Muscogee (Creek) elder William Harjo and loaded Fry Bread dishes from Three Sisters Soulfood!
William is a storyteller and flute maker who has been a part of Powwows all over the country, including First Voices Festival for the last two years.
This is a great opportunity to talk with someone with lots of knowledge about Powwows, traditional arts, and history.
-Powwow-
November 16 & 17, 2024
10 AM – 5 PM
1136 Austin Ave, NE • Atlanta, GA. 30307
Tatankala “Buffalo” Yellowbird of Zintkala Zi PowWow returns to Little Five points with his third annual First Voices Festival PowWow, featuring intertribal celebrations of culture, dance, song, crafts, food, and pageantry. A member of the Lakota Sioux Nation, Buffalo is well respected in Indigenous communities offering expertise, love, and joy on the mic as the master of ceremonies. At noon both days, the Grand Entry fills the circle with a company of dancers in full regalia taking audiences and participants on a journey of storytelling and cultural sharing through a variety of traditional dances like the Jingle Dress and Fancy dances. The dancers are surrounded by Indigenous jewelry, arts, and crafts, traditional demonstrations, and food including Fry Bread from our friends at Three Sisters Soulfood! This year, look out for hands-on crafting tents for the young ones. Entry is complimentary, family-friendly, and everyone is welcome!
Host Northern Drum – Rattlesnake Mountain, Host Southern Drum – Southside
Emcee – Buffalo Yellowbird, Co-Emcee – Priscilla Bean
Headman – Randy Solomon, Head lady – Nikki Crisp
Head Veteran – Paul Wilson, Dance performances by Malia’s Hula Halau
POWWOW SCHEDULE – November 16 & 17, 2024
10:00 – 10:45 — Gates Open
10:45 – 11:15 — Kyle Coatney (Flutes)
11:15 – 11:45 — Mahlia’s Hula Halau
11:45 – 12:00 — William Harjo
12:00 – 12:20 — Grand Entry
12:20 – 2:30 — Intertribal and Category Dancing
2:30 – 3:15 — Mahlia’s Hula Halau
3:15 – 3:30 — Kyle Coatney (Flutes)
3:30 – 5:00 — Intertribal and Category Dancing
5:00 — Closing
(Times are subject to change)
-BAD RIVER Film Screening and Q&A-
November 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Plaza Theatre • 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Bad River is a new documentary film which chronicles the Wisconsin-based Bad River Band and its ongoing fight for sovereignty, a story which unfolds in a groundbreaking way through a series of shocking revelations, devastating losses, and a powerful legacy of defiance and resilience which includes a David vs. Goliath battle to save Lake Superior, the largest freshwater resource in America. As Eldred Corbine, a Bad River Tribal Elder declares: “We gotta protect it… die for it, if we have to.”
This special presentation will feature an introduction and a post-show Q&A with special guest Esie Leoso Corbine, a Bad River Tribal Member who has worked for tribal and county organizations for 35+ years.
History
In 2022, 7 Stages teamed up with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, and The Little 5 Points Business Association to bring a multifaceted festival to the city of Atlanta that celebrates Indigenous cultures, people, and practices. Many groups of performers, vendors, and various tribes were invited to a PowWow in Little Five Points, which is the home of 7 Stages and many cultural institutions. The PowWow was accompanied by an Art of Activism dialogue with Muscogee/Creek elder and fine flute maker William Harjo, and complimentary meals provided by Three Sisters Soulfood. We also welcomed singer/songwriter and Native American flute player Shelley Morningsong (Northern Cheyenne and Scandinavian) and Fabian Fontenelle (Zuni/Omaha) for an evening of performances at 7 Stages.
Following the success of the first year, we extended the Powwow to a two day event in 2023, invited William Harjo back for storytelling and flute performances, and partnered with Plaza Theatre for a special screening of RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World.
7 Stages brings local, national, and international emerging artwork of social, political, and spiritual importance to Atlanta audiences. Since 1979, artists of all kinds have found 7 Stages to be a haven for the development of new work. Our theatre has resided on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Muscogee (Creek) people for over 43 years. While we produce content that spans nationally and internationally, it is essential for us to keep such inequities at the forefront of all that we do. We aim to honor these communities past, present and future through conversations, practices and programming that imagines and initiates what reparations look like for all. For every ticket sold, we include an Indigenous land use fee. The proceeds are donated to our Indigenous partners annually.
Turtle Island Trading is an Indigenous owned small business in the heart of Atlanta’s Little 5 Points neighborhood, just a block away from 7 Stages. Co-owned by Carmen Halagahu and tribally-recognized artist Yellowbird, Turtle Island Trading aims to provide economic opportunities to our Indigenous communities, raise awareness on whose land we are on, and offer an experience of “good vibes” between our vendors and buyers.
Zintkala Zi PowWow is led by Tatankala ‘Buffalo’ Yellowbird. Director of the Powwow performances and the Master of Ceremonies, Buffalo is a talented artist and leader within his community. He carries the heart of his culture on his sleeves as he travels the nation educating on the history of his ancestors. Zintkala Zi PowWow is well-respected in Indigenous communities across the US for planning and curating many Powwows with professional dancers across the southern US to build a stronger community of Indigenous representation in this region. Buffalo is a member of the Lakota Sioux Nation, and his festival leadership is crucial to building trust in the events by Indigenous community members.
Little 5 Points (L5P) Business Association’s mission is to promote the business interests of its members by educating them, providing networking opportunities, organizing events, marketing, promoting, and shaping L5P’s future while preserving the artsy, off-beat, historic neighborhood. The L5PBA attracts new customers to L5P while keeping the established ones by promoting its uniqueness, setting new trends, advertising its diversity, educating the public about the neighborhood’s history, and creating original and positive experiences for everyone in L5P. The L5PBA has been a partner since the first First Voices Festival and is instrumental in coordinating the city and county event permits and security.
Plaza Theatre, founded in 1939, is Atlanta’s longest-running independent cinema, known for its iconic Art Deco design and a vibrant mix of classic, cult, arthouse, and independent films. From cult classics to local premieres, it delivers a distinctive and nostalgic cinematic experience that’s truly unique. Together with its sister venue, Tara Theatre, the Plaza Theatre continues to celebrate and preserve the rich tradition of film in Atlanta, uniting history, community, and the love of cinema.
