Euchee Corn Dance
artist Wayne Wildcat (Euchee)
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Every summer in July, in an oak grove in Oklahoma, Euchees gather for a
week of ceremonies and dances. Traditionally, the corn is not eaten before
the Corn Dance ceremonies are performed. These women dance the Ribbon Dance;
turtle shells on their ankles create some of the rhythm. The elder women
lead the dance.
The Euchees are a tribe, that for the most part was moved from the
Southeastern U.S. on the Trail of Tears to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.
Most Euchees there live close to Tulsa. Only a few native speakers of the
language still survive, although there are classes to teach and record the
language.
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