Trail of Tears Memorial Walk at Mid-America Indian Center

On Saturday, October 12, the Mid-America All-Indian Center is hosting two community events that are free and open to the public.

At 1 p.m. the Trail of Tears Memorial Walk will begin. At 3 p.m. a community social dance will be held. See the flyer below for a schedule of the day’s activities.

The Trail of Tears Memorial Walk preserves the history and memories of the thousands of American Indians who died in 1831 during their forced relocation to Indian Territory. The path they took was named the Trail of Tears because so many succumbed to disease, starvation and exposure before reaching their destination.

The social dance is not a powwow, so there’s no grand entry – just lots of free family fun. They’ll have hot dogs, pop, and snacks for sale during the event.

Parking for the event is available in a lot across the street. (Turn onto Museum Blvd. and left into the first lot.) You can cross at the crosswalk to get to the Indian Center building.

For more information about the Trail of Tears Memorial Walk or the Community Social Dance, contact the Mid-America All-Indian Center at (316) 350-3340 or go to TheIndianCenter.org. You can also find the Indian Center on Facebook.

The Indian Center is located at 650 N. Seneca.

Schedule (in case you can’t see it on the flyer):

1 p.m. Prayer. Walk begins from the Indian Center, runs along the banks of the river and back

1:45 p.m. Drum plays as walkers enter through Keeper gates

2 p.m. Welcome. Reading of the Indigenous People’s Day Proclamation

2-5 p.m. Afternoon activities begin:

Community resource & health stations

Hands-on activities and games for the kids

3-9 p.m. Community Social Dance

3-7 p.m. Concessions sold by Native American Elders Council