Every November, the Hagood Mill Historic Site observes Native American Heritage Month by holding the Native American Celebration. This beloved third weekend event is also called Selugadu. Selugadu translates into cornbread (Selu, meaning corn and gadu, meaning bread) in the Tsalagi Gawonihisdi (Cherokee) language. This celebration of cornbread is a Harvest Festival. November is the time of year when Native Americans reaped the harvest of corn. Across the Americas, the first people developed more than 250 varieties of corn. Corn was an essential crop in Native American life and came to be in colonial life, as well.  

The weekend will kick off on Friday, November 15 at the Heritage Pavilion. Sonny Ledford, a Cultural Ambassador for the Eastern Band of Cherokee, will be presenting “Intro to Cherokee Language.” This event will be from 6 p.m. to 8 pm at the Heritage Pavilion. It is free to the public.

Saturday’s event kicks off at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m.  The typical third Saturday activities, including the operation of the 1845 Hagood Grist Mill, living history demonstrations, and a cherry-picked group of vendors will be taking place. Visitors and guest performers will participate in the festivities of the day, which will include Native American traditional drumming, singing, dancing, flute playing, storytelling, Cherokee hymns in the Tsalagi Gawonihisdi language, and traditional crafts and demonstrations. Performers include storyteller and basket maker Nancy Basket from Walhalla; the Catawba Nation Drums; Keepers of the Word; Paul Snowcloud, flute player; Michael Hartje, flint knapping demonstrator; Sonny Ledford, Cultural Ambassador for the Eastern Band of Cherokee, and many more.