Naples Florida Weekly
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Big Cypress Reservation to present Indigenous Arts and Music Festival


COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

“Honoring Our Matriarchs” is the theme for the inaugural Indigenous Arts and Music Festival (IAMF) set for March 4-5 on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. The event will take place at the Junior Cypress Rodeo and Entertainment Complex, east of Immokalee, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 5. IAMF will showcase engaging Indigenous speakers and performers from across the U.S. and Canada.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK) will headline and close out the event on March 4. Snotty Nose Rez Kids is a Haisla Hip-Hop duo from Kitimat Village, B.C., Canada. Rappers Yung Trybez and Young D formed SNRK in 2016, and gained notoriety with their 2019 release, Trapline and hit, “Boujee Natives.” They finished 2022 with a 40-city North American tour promoting their album, Life After, and released their most recent project, I’m Good HBU? in December.

Spencer Battiest and Doc Native will headline and close out the event on March 5. Battiest and Native are both award-winning artists and members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Native is a producer, writer, and rapper, while Battiest is a singer-songwriter and actor. In 2017, along with Taboo from the Black-Eyed Peas, Native and Battiest won the MTV VMA for Best Fight Against the System. More recently they won a Native American Music Award for Best Live Performance Video. Their songs showcase their unique style, Native heritage, and love for all Indigenous people.

A panel discussion on Saturday will include female Indigenous leaders such as Representative Ruth Buffalo, serving as a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives from the 27th District, Honorable Ponka-We Victors Cozad, Norma Flying Horse, and others.

A fashion show by Red Berry Woman will take place on Sunday. RBW is a fashion line that incorporates Native American traditional garment styles into contemporary couture garments and ready to wear for both women and men. RBW was created by Norma Baker-Flying Horse, an enrolled member of the Hidatsa tribe and a member of the Dakota Sioux and Assiniboine tribes as well as an adopted member of the Crow Nation.

The weekend will feature additional performances and shows by Lyla June, Fawn Wood, One Way Sky, Aye Five, Carradine, and the Inter-Tribal Bird Singers. The Freestyle Alligator Wrestling Competition will take place on both days.

Event admission is free. Other offerings include Native food, art, crafts, and a carnival. For event schedule and details, visit indigenousamf.com/. ¦

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