LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas multi-cultural performing arts company is celebrating Juneteenth through dance.
Nondi Wontanara is a group specializing in traditional African drumming and dancing.
Nondi Wontanara means "we are united in truth."
This year, during Juneteenth, the group is hosting special dance classes in honor of the holiday.
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LaQuetha Lutale says Juneteenth is a special time to explore your roots, celebrate your ancestors and teach history.
"In celebration of Juneteenth, we will be learning new dances focused on liberation, which is fitting for the holiday," Lutale said.
Juneteenth is a holiday which marks the last African American slaves to be freed in Texas in the wake of the Civil War in June of 1865.
The news came two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1883.
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Lutale says teaching African culture is one way their company chooses to honor their ancestors and never forget their roots.
"I honor my ancestors because they fought for our freedom and endured and overcame the most horrific circumstances. I will always remember my history," Lutale said.
Juneteenth, June 19, is now a federal holiday.
