MAY 7, 2009 ISSUE
Old Fort Pow Wow This Weekend
Organizers of this weekend’s Native American pow wow at Old Fort are looking forward to receiving many visitors at the event that begins this Friday, May 8, but they are also looking for about 20 volunteers to help Friday to Sunday.
“It takes about 20 more volunteers to staff the pow wow,” said organizer Mabel Benjamin. Benjamin owns Rocks and Things, a store that sells crystals and Native American artifacts in Spruce Pine.
Benjamin is a descendant of Powhattan, the adopted daughter of a Seminole chief and president of the Blue Ridge Intertribal Pow Wow Association, the group which opened last-month’s multi-cultural event at ASU to enthusiastic public response.
“We have people coming to the pow wow [that] we met at [that] event,” said Benjamin. She said people will travel hundreds of miles to attend pow wows and some are coming from Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. There is also a vendor from Canada.
A pow-wow was traditionally when medicine men and chiefs of the tribes got together to talk about medicine, cures and any problems between them. The chiefs and medicine men brought their tribes and, because people couldn’t marry within their own tribe, this was where young men and women could meet a potential spouse. On marriage, the new husband left his own tribe to go with the woman’s.
At pow wows, the tribes traded goods like pottery, baskets and weavings and there was also much dancing and drumming.
“That’s what has evolved into today’s pow wow,” said Benjamin. She said there will be food vendors and visitors should bring a lawn chair to watch the performances.
At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, and at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, the ceremonial Grand Entry will take place, with all major participants dressed in their grandest and best.
Emcee Dave Trezak is a Native American Music Award Nominee whose music includes flute, guitar and song. He will also perform during the day.
Other participants are musician Vicky Hutto; drummers Dry Creek Medicine; flutist William Harjo; storytellers Harjo and Millie Fischer; and bead-worker Janice Fischer. Tim Beane will have his award-winning teepee on display and Bennie Bodenhammer will demonstrate flint-knapping.
Friday is Kids’ Day, when school groups can get in for $1, half the normal kids’ price. Benjamin would like every school to attend.
“If they don’t [come], how are we going to teach them [about Native Americans]?” she asked.
For more information, call 888-213-6111 or 813-765-3073.
Want To Go?
Date: Friday to Sunday, May 8 to 10
Time: Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m./Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Rodeo Grounds, 189 Catawba River Road, Old Fort. I-40 Exit 73
Cost: Adults $5/Children 12 and under $2
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
