The Oneida Indian Nation’s First Allies Group has returned to Fort Stanwix for the 2009 season to participate in the living history interactive activities conducted daily at the reconstructed Revolutionary War fort operated by the National Park Service.

Fort Stanwix’s observation of National Parks Week is underway and continues through Saturday, April 18. While parks across the country officially celebrate National Parks Week from April 19 to April 25, Fort Stanwix shifted its observance back one week to coincide with the week-long school spring break.

Fort Stanwix, built along the Oneida Carrying Place, allows visitors to learn about the harsh conditions of the time and how the American victory at the frontier fort directly contributed to the British defeat at Saratoga in 1777.

Scheduled activities for the observance will be conducted from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. each day. Fort Stanwix is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m

The Las Vegas Film Festival, held April 9-12 in the city known as the entertainment capital of the world, selected “Raccoon & Crawfish” as the winner of the Best Animation prize, making it the 18th festival win since it entered the festival circuit well over a year ago.

The Las Vegas Film Festival win joins the list of other top animation prizes that “Raccoon & Crawfish” has garnered, including the Moondance International Film Festival, known as “the American Cannes,” and the Okanagan Film Festival in British Columbia. It was also screened at the renowned Cannes Festival in France in May 2008.

The 3-D animated short film from the Oneida Indian Nation’s Four Directions Productions studio uses modern technology to tell an ancient Oneida legend that illustrates the dangers of boasting and deception.