TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - They may never get to visit them in person, but students at Tupelo Middle School got a taste of life in Peru, Egypt and Italy.
The Yocona International Folk Festival brings dance troupes to schools and other venues in the area.
Dr. Rebecca Jernigan with the festival said, "We'll have people playing indigenous musical instruments that have probably never been seen in this part of the country. They will be wearing the traditional costumes of the people in the area."
This is all made possible through several grants including one from the Mississippi Arts Commission.
These performers pay their own way to get here to the U.S.
Jernigan said, "The troupes pay their own way to come. Once they are here, it is our task to take care of them in terms of transportation, housing."
They're highly charged and colorful performances that show what most students would never get to experience in person.
After their performances, the group breaks into smaller groups and goes into classrooms to talk to students there.
Jernigan said, "They'll have an opportunity to see a power point about the cultures represented. It is a very interactive opportunity for the students and the teachers."
More than five dozen of the performers are traveling to different schools around the area.
They're sharing a part of their cultures but also experiencing what Mississippi has to offer.
The group stopped by the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum before moving on to the next city.
