Natchez, MS, USA / ListenUpYall.com
Mar 23, 2026 | 8:25 AM
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| Tommy Wildcat Photo courtesy of Tommy Wildcat (Click on image to enlarge.) |
NATCHEZ, Miss. — Tommy Wildcat, a Cherokee Nation flute player, will perform at the Natchez Powwow on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 29, 2026, on the Natchez Bluff. Admission is free and open to the public.
Dr. Chuck Borum, who chairs the Natchez Powwow, said
Wildcat is a great musician, and his performance will be an exciting and
welcome addition to this year’s lineup. “Wildcat is extremely gifted as a
musician and highly respected,” Borum said.
Wildcat, who hails from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is a
Cherokee Nation “National Treasure,” a title recognizing master artisans and
tradition bearers who preserve Cherokee art, language, and culture. He has
shared his work at cultural events and performances across the country.
Wildcat and his family were featured in the September
2005 issue of National Geographic magazine. In 1995, he appeared in the
American Express “Charge Against Hunger” commercial.
Wildcat is a graduate of Northeastern State University
where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Cherokee Cultural Studies. He won the
2002 Native American Music Award for Flutist of the Year for his album “Pow-Wow
Flutes.”
Wildcat said performing in Natchez is a privilege he
really appreciates. “I’m very grateful and honored to be at the Natchez
Mississippi Powwow this year,” he said.
The Natchez Powwow, held annually since the late 1980s,
celebrates Native American culture through dance, music, crafts, and more. It
is presented as a wholesome family-friendly event for local residents and
visitors.
Program lineup
In addition to Wildcat, this year’s powwow will feature
Eddie Yellowfish, Osage-Otoe-Comanche, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who will
serve as the head singer of the Southern Drum.
Others featured include Frank Carson, Otoe-Pawnee, of
Stillwater, Oklahoma, as master of ceremonies; and Darsh DeSilva of Round Rock,
Texas, as arena director; and Free “Bird” Kasler, Otoe, of Chouteau, Oklahoma,
as head man dancer.
The program will include Wonzie Kline Kole, Mescalero
Apache-Comanche of Dallas as the head lady dancer; and James Barton of
Summerville, South Carolina, as the head gourd dancer.
Oscar-nominated songwriter Scott George of Hominy,
Oklahoma, will support Yellowfish on the drums. George composed “Wahzhazhe
(A Song for My People),” that was featured in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the
Flower Moon.” He and Yellowfish performed the song with the Osage Tribal
Singers at the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024.
Powwow schedule
Saturday March 28, 2026
9 a.m. – Food, Craft, and Farmers’ Market Vendors open;
12:30 p.m. — Gourd Dance; 2 p.m. — Grand Entry and Intertribal Dancing; 4 p.m.
— Camp Feed for Singers, Dancers, and Family/Friends; 6 p.m. — Gourd Dance; 7
p.m. — Grand Entry and Intertribal Dancing; 9 p.m. – Closing
Sunday March 29, 2026
9 a.m. — Food and Craft Vendors open; 12:30 p.m. —
Gourd Dance; 2 p.m. — Grand Entry and Intertribal Dancing
Alcohol is prohibited at the powwow. It is not allowed in
the powwow area or in the trader or food vending area. Attendees are encouraged
to bring lawn chairs for seating.
Borum said the powwow is financially supported by local
Natchez businesses, individuals, and the Natchez Convention Promotion
Commission/Visit Natchez.
For more information, visit https://www.natchezpowwow.com or email Powwow Chairman Dr. Chuck Borum at cborum@hotmail.com.
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