TUPELO, MS: During the month of November, the Natchez Trace Parkway will host special programs to celebrate American Indian Heritage month at the Parkway Visitor Center. An art exhibit and a film will be available free to the public from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm in the Parkway Visitor Center auditorium. On November 16, a Junior Ranger program will explore American Indian tools.
The art exhibit pieces were developed by students who explored their creativity during special Chickasaw Nation art programs. The Chickasaw Nation chose the pieces based on their artistic merit.
Produced by the Chickasaw Nation, the 25-minute documentary film features reenactments and historical experts’ interpretations of the initial encounter between the Chickasaw people and Hernando de Soto’s exploration party. It gives new insights into life and survival in the Tupelo area in the 1500s.
On Saturday, November 16, at 10:00 am, a special presentation about American Indian tools will include knives, spears, bow and arrows, atlatls, grinding stones, and a bow drill. This program is ideal for children 7 to 12 years old but everyone is welcome. Replicas will be available for hands-on interpretation.
The visitor center is located along the Parkway at milepost 266, just north of Tupelo, Mississippi, is open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, and will be closed Thanksgiving Day. For more information about this and other Parkway programs, please visit www.nps.gov/natr or call 1-800-305-7417.
