SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 ISSUE
Spruce Pine, Fort Hamby Pow Wows Welcome Visitors, Seek Volunteers
Organizers of the upcoming annual Native American pow wows at Spruce Pine and Fort Hamby are looking forward to receiving many visitors, and they are also hoping for some volunteers to help on both weekends.
The Spruce Pine pow wow takes place this Friday to Sunday, September 10 to 12, while the Fort Hamby event follows next week, Friday to Sunday, September 17 to 19.
“It takes about 20 volunteers or more to staff the pow wow,” said Mabel Benjamin, the organizer. Benjamin owns the Rocks and Things store that sells crystals and Native American artifacts in Spruce Pine, so she’d welcome more help.
Benjamin is a descendant of Powhattan, the adopted daughter of a Seminole chief and President of the Blue Ridge Intertribal Pow Wow Association, the nonprofit group behind the pow wows.
A pow wow occurred 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. Upon 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 and craft vendors. Visitors can bring lawn chairs to watch the performances during the two events.
Dancing, drumming, singing, storytelling and music alternate during the day while visitors can watch bead-working, gourd-carving and flint-knapping demonstrations. Teepees will feature at both events.
The Ceremonial Grand entry, during which all major participants dress in their grandest and best, takes place 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.
Friday is Kids’ Day, when entry for school groups is free.
For more information or to volunteer, call Benjamin at 813-765-3073.
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