First Voices Festival celebrates Indigenous cultures in Atlanta from November 14-28, 2025
ATLANTA – Now in its fourth year, First Voices Festival is coming full circle with more opportunities for Indigenous communities and Atlanta patrons. By inviting new collaborators, offering dynamic programming and more access to a variety of activities, new and returning guests are sure to enjoy these celebrations of Indigenous cultures.
The festival opens on November 14 with Art of Activism, a night of storytelling, music and traditional foods at 7 Stages with special guest William Harjo, a Muscogee (Creek) Elder who presents all over the country. A preshow reception in the lobby provided by food vendor and chef Tina Reyes (Apache) of Rez Juice brings us authentic sweet and savory Fry Bread and lemonade.
On November 15 and 16, the energy really picks up with a two day outdoor Powwow presented by Zintkala Zi PowWow, which is led by Buffalo Yellowbird, a citizen of Oglala Lakota Nation. The Powwow includes traditional drummers and dancers, traditional foods (fry bread, buffalo burgers, roasted corn, etc.), Indigenous vendors (jewelry, arts and crafts), demonstrations, and storytelling. Entry to these events is free, they are family friendly, and everyone is welcome.
On November 21, Out of Hand Theater will present Say Their Names at 7 Stages, which features interwoven film and live performances written by Marcie Rendon, acclaimed author and citizen of the White Earth Nation. Following the presentation will be a community conversation about the lack of media representation for victims in marginalized communities, and how we can create a collective framework for continued dialogue, healing, and action.
First Voices Festival will conclude with a screening of the documentary She Cried That Day at Plaza Theatre on November 28. Director Amanda Erickson, a member of the San Carlos Apache, grew up in Peachtree City and earned her film degree at Georgia State University. Her film is about missing and murdered Indigenous women in New Mexico. This event will also feature a post-show conversation with Erickson.
These events are brought to you by 7 Stages, Turtle Island Trading, Little 5 Points Cultural District, Zintkala Zi PowWow, Plaza Theatre and Out of Hand Theater.
History and context:
First Voices Festival began in 2022 when a few Atlanta organizations put their heads together to produce a multifaceted festival celebrating Indigenous cultures, something they weren’t seeing locally. At the center of these events was the Powwow, a traditional gathering with dance, music, food and socializing that originated among Native American tribes on the Great Plains.
For some, gathering in Atlanta marks a return to ancestral lands. Areas of what are now Georgia and Alabama were the territory of Muscogee (Creek) people, until many were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma in the 1800s where they were exposed to Plains Powwow traditions. Today Powwows are popular all over the United States and Canada, and many people wanted to see such an event in the heart of Atlanta.
Other events at First Voices Festival have included storytelling, talks, shared meals, concerts, and film screenings. All of these events celebrate Indigenous traditions and aim to bring awareness to the First Peoples of these lands, who are still here, and issues confronting them today.
About 7 Stages:
7 Stages brings local, national, and international emerging artwork of social, political, and spiritual importance to Atlanta audiences. Since 1979, artists of all kinds have found 7 Stages to be a haven for the development of new work.
7 Stages has resided on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Muscogee (Creek) people for over 46 years. While we produce content that spans nationally and internationally, it is essential for us to keep such inequities at the forefront of all that we do. We aim to honor these communities past, present and future through conversations, practices and programming that imagines and initiates what reparations look like for all. For every ticket sold, we include an Indigenous land use fee. The proceeds are donated to our Indigenous partners annually.
Our Mission: 7 Stages is a professional, non-profit theatre company devoted to engaging artists and audiences by focusing on the social, political, and spiritual values of contemporary culture. 7 Stages gives primary emphasis to international work and the support and development of new plays, new playwrights, and new methods of collaboration.
Our Vision: Our theatre will be a global center for the creation of vital conversations through collaborative performance.
Vitals:
First Voices Festival
A celebration of Indigenous cultures.
November 14-28, 2025 in Atlanta, GA
Learn more at https://www.7stages.org/shows/first-voices-festival-2025/
Press inquiries: email devi@7stages.org
Photos and graphics available by request
