The Bison Dance 🦬 A Cherokee social dance demonstrated at Oconaluftee Indian Village Did you know that there were bison in the southeastern United States? The last one in this area was killed around Asheville, NC during the fur trade. The Bison Dance is a favorite amongst our staff members. You’ll notice them jostling each other and having a good time. Native people are not as stoic as Hollywood likes to portray us. Historically, social dances were meant to be a fun way to socialize, and even t

This clip of the Cherokee Ant Dance was recorded during the final dance demonstration of the season at Oconaluftee Indian Village living history museum. In this traditional Cherokee social dance, the dancers depict ants working together in community, like our Cherokee people. All of the dancers in this video are either artisans or tour guides at Oconaluftee Indian Village, and all but one are enrolled members of a federally recognized Indigenous tribe Oconaluftee Indian Village is an open air li