Syracuse celebrates Indigenous culture
Syracuse celebrates Indigenous culture
The Native American Arts and Heritage Festival featured entrepreneurs showcasing jewelry, apparel, paintings and more.
Theresa Burns started making glycerin soap 20 years ago to help soothe her first granddaughter’s eczema. Now, she runs Mohawkbear Glycerin Soaps, an organic soap-making business.
“I got into the glycerin soaps for her, because it was better for her skin,” Burns said, referring to her granddaughter. “It just grew from there. I am glad I can produce a product that people actually appreciate and are repeat customers of.”
Burns was one of over 20 artisans at the Native American Arts & Heritage Festival in the Horowitz Exhibition Area at the Museum of Science and Technology, as known as the MOST.
The third iteration of this annual festival on Saturday offered a space for Native community members to share their heritage, crafts and traditions with visitors. It was a celebration that bridged the past and the present, honoring the artistry and traditions of their communities.
Irv Lyons Jr., director of development at MOST, emphasized the significance of the festival as a platform for cultural exchange and understanding.
“It’s a snapshot of our culture in five hours,” Lyons said. “It’s about community and supporting each other; peace and friendship.”
From traditional beadwork and paintings to couture fashion and hand-burned wood plates, every booth at the festival was a testament to the skill, creativity, and resilience of Native artisans.
Diane Schenandoah, spiritual advisor at Syracuse University and a sculptor by trade, displayed intricate necklaces, earrings, and sculptures, including her mother’s jewelry collection.
“When she passed, she had eight cases filled with jewelry that she traveled around the country, collecting and trading,” Schenandoah said. “So I just took on the family business, so to speak.”
Beyond arts and crafts, the music, dance and fashion shows brought the festival alive. Chris Thomas led the traditional Haudenosaunee social dancing exhibition, including the stomp dance, the fish dance and the smoke dance.
“These are not ceremonial songs, so they’re okay to share in a public setting,” Thomas said of the captivating performances, a reminder of the power of traditions and the spirit of community.
The festival also featured a fashion show, with designers Mary Homer and Emma Shenandoah, showcasing bespoke accessories and apparel which combined traditional and contemporary worlds.
The Native American Arts and Heritage Festival was more than just an art fair; it was a space where the past was honored, the present was celebrated and the future was built, one piece of art, one story, and one shared experience at a time. With it, the MOST established itself as a cultural hub, uniting generations, backgrounds, and appearances in a cultural exchange showcasing the beauty, diversity and spirit of the Native heritage.
The festival was presented by Honest Engine Films, with support from Colonial Laundromat, Dinosaur BBQ, Green Hills Farms, Harpoon Eddie’s, Marty Collins Law, Powell Lacrosse, Senshi Martial Arts, Sey Knox, Skaneateles Buffalo, Sterling Casualty and SUNY ESF.
is a magazine, news and digital journalism graduate student and contributor for The NewsHouse.
