Allendale, SC – The Yamasee Indian Tribe of Seminoles is organizing their annual Green Corn Unity Festival at USC Salkehatchie’s campus in Allendale. For the Yamasee Tribe, the Green Corn ceremony represents a time of renewal. The event showcases traditional Yamasee attire and performances by tribe members.

Se’khuhadjo Gentle, the Chief of the Yamasee Indian Tribe, explained, “We spend seven days engaging in private ceremonial practices before opening the festivities to the public on the weekend. This allows us to share our culture, heritage, and foster goodwill with the wider community.”

The Yamasee War of 1715 was a historical conflict where colonizers started to enslave the Yamasee based on their skin color. The name Seminoles, meaning runaways, was given to them by colonizers in recognition of their resistance. Gentle emphasizes the importance of the Yamasee youth understanding their origins and history today.

“Well it’s important for our children to know who they are and where they came from. We honor our ancestors and elders because they gave their lives for us to be here. So it’s a form of disrespect not to continue on customs and traditions of our people so that our babies can know who they are.” said Chief Gentle.

The event was also a day of remembrance for Markayla Roberts, a 14 year old resident of Allendale who’s life was taken by a stray bullet. A proclamation was issued marking today as Markayla Roberts Day. Chief Gentle said, “This year Green Corn was dedicated to Markayla Roberts so that we can remember her and that the fight can continue on to find out what happened to her so that her family can get some type of solitude and feel a sense of justice as well.”

Carl Love, Allendale County Councilman told , “Before this myself and other councilmen went to Columbia to fight for Markayla and now chief has come on board with me so the fight continues.”  Love hopes that this year’s Green Corn Festival will be a launch pad for unity in Allendale County. “We’ve had a few shootings in Allendale county and they’re cold cases so starting today we hope we can move forward.”

The Green Corn Festival concludes tomorrow at USC Salkehatchie in Allendale.