HOLLY HILL, S.C. — The Santee Indian Tribe is celebrating their 11th annual Pow Wow on Saturday in Holly Hill.
This traditional event is a paying homage to the tribe's culture through music, dancing, storytelling, food and more.
Tribe Chief Eric Pratt says he would like to see more Native American education in schools.
“They don’t teach it enough in schools," said Pratt. "I’ve heard that plenty enough times, and I'd love to see them teach more of that in schools to keep this tradition alive because if nobody keeps doing it, its not going to go any father. Its going to die out and when it dies out the nobody’s going to know anything about it.”
Vendors will be selling handmade jewelry, arts and crafts at the event. Joan "Ravenwood" Walker is one of those vendors and says each piece of art is unique.
“Everybody is buying from Walmart and Target and different places like that," said Walker. "When you come to a Pow Wow, you get handmade stuff by Native Americans and we each have our different way of making things and it speaks to you and that keeps our culture alive.”
Albert Tisdale is a council member of the tribe. He says although this is to celebrate the Santee Indian Tribe, everyone in the community is welcome.
“We have a good time, we want to teach everybody, not just Indians," Tisdale said. We teach everybody how to play the drum and dance. We have a good time out here, and we do it for our children and the elders in the tribe.’
Gates open at 9 am at the Santee Indian Organization, 432 Bayview Street in Holly Hill. The Grand Entry Dance begins at 12 pm. Children 6 and under and adults 65 and older enter for free. There's a $10 entry fee for all other ages.