VICTOR, NY (WROC-TV)

The Ganondagan Indigenous Music and Arts festival is underway in Victor, attracting thousands of people. With Native Americans being about one percent of the overall US population, Peter Jemison, the site manager, says highlighting Amerindian contributions is more important now than ever. 

 “This is where we come from, this is really the home county, the home land of the Seneca Nation. uI think people should understand that before the arrival of Europeans, that people lived here.”

Jodi Caruso, bringing her family along to the festival, wanted to bring that history to her children. 

“Without all of the contributions that they have given to us, we wouldn’t be here. Remember, when we got here, we learned to live here in America because of them,” says Caruso.

Jemison says we’re all here now, all cultures, enjoying this nation. In fact, the festival had some cultural fusion elements to it…like Japanese Taiko drumming.

“So we try to give a combination of the traditions, and bring in traditions from other cultures to share with people,” says Jemison.

He says like all peoples, Native Americans are a living and changing tradition, something being showcased at the Ganondagan Festival.

The festival runs tomorrow and is at 7000 Route 41 in Victor.