Yap Ye Iswa (Day of the Catawba)
 The
Catawba Indians used to inhabit the territory around the Catawba River
in North and South Carolina. In the 17th century the Catawba, which
means "people of the river," numbered about 5,000, but by the
end of the 20th century there were only about 1,200 descendants of the
Catawba, who lived around Rock Hill, South Carolina. The last known
speaker of the Catawba language, Red Thunder Cloud, a singer and
storyteller, died in January 1996.
The heritage of the Catawba is celebrated by the Catawba Cultural
Preservation Project, which holds a festival every year on the Saturday
after Thanksgiving -- Yap Ye Iswa (Day of the Catawba). The festival is
a way for the Catawba to celebrate their culture and share it with
people of all backgrounds.
The festival begins with a calling song performed by the River Spirit
drum group with the Grand Entry of tribal veterans, dancers and
drummers. After the Grand Entry, various tribal drum groups play while
tribal dancers perform traditional Catawba dances. A puppet show based
on Catawba folklore and in the Catawba language is presented, as well as
video presentations on the Catawba culture.
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