Okla. — More than 60 Indigenous artists, filmmakers, cosplayers and fans gathered Saturday at the Chota Conference Center at Cherokee Casino for the fifth annual SkasdiCon, celebrating Native influence and representation in popular culture
The free, family-friendly event featured film screenings, Native pop culture panels, a cosplay competition, interactive gaming and special guest appearances.
This year’s film screenings highlighted Cherokee language revitalization projects from the Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Film.
Programming included the first two episodes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and the feature film “How to Train Your Dragon,” both dubbed in Cherokee.
Four animated short films produced by Cherokee Film also screened 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.
Panel discussions throughout the event gave attendees opportunities to learn about the dubbing process, language animation, Native horror stories and other topics.
“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 event highlighted the growing presence of Indigenous voices in film, animation, gaming and other areas of popular culture while providing a space for Native artists and fans to connect and celebrate shared interests.
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