November is Native American Month

There seems to be a lot going on in Southern IL this month! Saturday, November 3, one of our Sundance Chiefs came down from
Chicago to meet up with two singers/drummers and a female singer/Sundancer from Indiana, along with myself, for a presentation to a middle school class in Metropolis. It was a beautiful day, bright blue sky, warm sunshine and a gentle breeze. We all met up in Metropolis and we were joined by Larry Yazzie, Meskwaki/Dine' Pow Wow Dancer from Minnesota.



Our Chief, Dale "Bear" Copeland spoke to the crowd, of approximately 50, about our Dance, the spirituality aspect and a bit about the ceremony involved with Sundance. We attempted to build a sweat lodge but due to the recent dry weather the willows were a little difficult to work with and we certainly couldn't peel the bark as is the traditional and proper way to prepare the willows. So, due to un-peelable bark and time constraints, we only constructed the frame of the lodge and then described how it should be completed and the purpose for the lodge. The original plan was for me to talk about the Cherokee People and the Trail of Tears. Again, due to a lack of time, I did not have the opportunity to speak. Hopefully, next year we will again be invited to Metropolis and will be better prepared to make better use of out time allotment.

When we were told that Mr. Yazzie was ready (and waiting) in the gym for his performance, everyone moved inside and our part of the presentation was over. Mr. Yazzie is a very skilled and entertaining dancer/performer. While there was a huge difference in his performance and our presentation, I feel that the young people and adults in attendance learned something new about Native culture and spirituality. This was a very interesting experience and I was happy to be a part of it, even if my part was left out I still enjoyed the opportunity just to be a part of the presentation.


If any of you out there have the opportunity to participate in, either as a presenter or an attendee, of one or more of the many programs about Native Americans this month, please do it! This is the perfect time to learn more yourself or to help others learn more about the First People of America. Enjoy!