Former ‘Chief’ comes to pow wow

Cherokee Homecoming continues today

Levi Walker is no longer able to put on his colorful Native American costumes and dance, but the 75-year-old, whom you probably know better as Chief Noc-A-Homa, longtime mascot for the Atlanta Braves, still takes advantage of every opportunity to promote Native American cultures.

Walker, who now lives in Cleveland, was tucked away quietly, but no less proudly, in a vendor’s tent at the 28th annual Cherokee Homecoming and Ripe Corn Festival Saturday in Ridge Ferry Park.

A nearly perfect weather day Saturday brought huge crowds to the festival, which continues today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the northern half of the park closest to Chieftains Museum.

Walker said he never felt demeaned as he danced about a teepee in the left field bleachers of the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for 16 years, ending in 1985.

Walker said the highlight of his 16 years was watching Hank Aaron hammer his record-setting 715th home run.

Walker, who is threequarters Ottawa and onequarter Chippewa, said his reason for taking the job with the Braves almost half a century ago was to advance the native population, not to belittle or stereotype anybody.

“I’d say 80 percent of the native population was in favor of it,” Walker said. Those who were opposed, Walker said, were primarily associated with the American Indian Movement.

Rick Bird, from Cherokee, North Carolina, the longtime emcee for the event, reminded the crowd this year’s festival was dedicated to the memory of one of its founders, Frank Blair.

“This is very spiritual to me,” said Bird. “The people who put it on do it the right way; it’s really like a homecoming.”

He said Blair was the backbone of the event for more than two decades. “If Frank didn’t authorize it, it didn’t happen,” Bird said.

Cody Boettner, a world champion hoop dancer from South Daytona, Florida, said this time of year he travels to Native American festivals virtually every weekend.

Over 90 dancers registered for the competitions Saturday, and that many are expected again Sunday. Though it’s called a Cherokee Homecoming, people representing a variety of tribal cultures, even the Aztec culture of Central America, are in Rome for the two-day festival.

Admission for those 13-64 is $8, everyone else gets in free. There is no fee for parking.

Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune The Bird Choppers serve as the host drummers for the 28th Cherokee Homecoming and Ripe Corn Festival in Ridge Ferry Park this weekend. Cody Boettner (from left), Rick Bird holding a young child and Little Rup Bird play a ceremonial song.

Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune Daily Pheasant (left), a face painter from Cherokee, N.C., paints the face Peyton Self of Silver Creek.

Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune Levi Walker, also known as Chief Noc-A-Homa, visits Rome.

ABOVE: Robin Jumper, center, serves as the head male dancer at this year’s Cherokee Homecoming and Ripe Corn Festival in Ridge Ferry Park.

Photos by Doug Walker, Rome News-Tribune BOTTOM: Skyhawk Smith, left, from Ashville Alabama, leads the Grand Entry Dance.

LEFT: Cody Boettner, from South Daytona, Florida, performs a hoop dance.