Cherokee Nation celebrates Native pop culture with return of SkasdiCon Vol. V

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Join Cherokee Nation in celebrating the Native influence on pop culture at the fifth annual SkasdiCon on Nov. 14 at the Chota Conference Center inside Cherokee Casino.

The family-friendly event is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is free to children 12 and younger, as well as any attendees dressed in cosplay costumes. General admission is $10 at the door and online at SkasdiCon.com.

"SkasdiCon is a celebration of the Indigenous creativity and talent that brings our communities together through art, cosplay and fandom," said Jessica Pratt, cultural tourism coordinator. "The space not only allows artists to showcase their incredible work but also has something for everyone, from gaming and cosplay competitions to film screenings and more. We look forward to welcoming guests back for another year celebrating Native pop culture."

More than 60 Indigenous artists will share their work at SkasdiCon, alongside film screenings, Native pop culture panels, a cosplay competition, and special guest appearances from Gene Brave Rock, the Bitterwater Scout Trooper and YoungbearArt as Raphael. The cosplay competition features five divisions with $4,500 in awards.

This year's film screenings feature language revitalization projects from Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Film, including the first two episodes of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" and the feature film "How to Train Your Dragon," all dubbed in the Cherokee language.

Four short animated films from Cherokee Film will also screen throughout the day: "Groundhog Dance," "Redman and Uktena," "Birds and Animals Ballgame" and "Spearfinger."

"Through these screenings, we're demonstrating how film can be a powerful tool for language revitalization, connecting Cherokee citizens to our language in new and engaging ways," said Jen Loren, senior director of Cherokee Film. "Our language animation team deserves tremendous credit for their creativity, dedication and commitment to bringing the Cherokee language to life on screen. Their work advances Cherokee Film's mission to grow Indigenous storytelling while helping ensure our language continues to thrive for generations to come."

Panel discussions will be offered throughout the day, providing guests with the opportunity to learn more about the dubbing process, language animation efforts, Native horror stories and more.

Guests can also create their own superhero and participate in interactive gaming opportunities such as "Fandom Bingo," "Roll for Indian Taco" and "What the Rez?!"

Cherokee Casino is located at 3307 Seven Clans Ave. in Tahlequah.

For more information, including a full event schedule, cosplay rules and regulations, and a list of participating artists, panelists and cosplay judges, visit SkasdiCon.com.

More photos and videos available here.