The 5th Annual Harvest Pow Wow at Mokena, Illinois dawned beautiful as participants prepared for an expanded agenda. Dedicated to educate as well as entertain both the public and SOARRING members, a full schedule of cultural demonstrations, exhibits and an hour-long lecture filled both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

New exhibits for 1999 included a cattail lodge with pre-contact leather goods and weapons, two display tables of Native clothing, tools and other daily use and special event items, and working tables of Seminole patchwork sewing and basketweaving. Along with the cultural demonstrations featured for the first time last year-- bow and arrow making, beadwork and quilling, etc.-- the arts of woodburning, bow and drill firestarting and nettle fiber weaving were also demonstrated. Myles Goddard, elder Board member, brought a set of new games and activities to the Children's’ Corner, including Lacrosse-style and target games, and corn-grinding. Before the evening Grand Entry, Carol Kelly led an action-packed game for kids with a traditional story attached, called Bear’s Bones.

As a unique special during the three sessions, Christopher DeMarrias, 6 1/2-years-old, performed the hoop dance as possibly the youngest hoop dancer on the Pow Wow circuit. Dance demonstrations by the internationally known Begay boys were also enjoyed.

Our special educational feature for adults was an hour lecture by Nakoma Volkman. At a quiet spot set within the grove of oak trees, up to 50 people at a time gathered to hear Nakoma’s soft-spoken wisdom. A noted artist, writer, lecturer, singer and dancer, Nakoma seeks to foster a true understanding of Native American people and their ancient values. He focused on the meaning of the Medicine Circle as it applies to the Great Circle of Life that embraces all things.

The Harvest Pow Wow has become a time of initiation and rites of passage in various forms, and this year, a truly fitting welcome-into-the-community celebration was held at the Spirit Fire, with a full circle story behind it:

The First Annual Harvest Pow Wow was brought forth through the efforts and beliefs of a woman from Sauk Village named Mary Lou Sholey. She had approached Joe Standing Bear with the idea of having the Pow Wow in a beautiful oak grove where the spiritual energies were strong, at the site of an old schoolhouse called Cat’s Corner. The date was set for October 13 & 14, 1995, and preparations were nearly complete when Mary Lou died suddenly of heart failure at 49-years-old. The Pow Wow was held in her memory, and she and Joe remain the original inspiration behind this annual event.

One of the children she left behind bears her name: Mary Lou. Every year she has come back to dance in honor of her mother and all the ancestors. But this year was special. She brought her 7 1/2-month-old first-born child, a daughter named Sioux White Eagle, to be formally welcomed into the community. Elder G.B. Starr-Bresette led the prayer with family and friends gathered in a circle. The child passed from arms to arms as everyone present welcomed her into the Native family. The circle was now complete, as Grandmother Mary Lou certainly rejoiced from the next world.

There were two memorable events that took place in the dance arena. Joseph Standing Bear had announced SOARRING’s Save the Buffalo project (see article, page 1), and a donor came forth to pay the full $1000.00 purchase price for the first of our future herd. While she prefers to remain anonymous, we were able to honor her good heart with an honor dance on Saturday evening.

The grand finale of the weekend was the raffle drawing for the satin star quilt. The raffle had been running since early in the year, with the prize of a masterpiece sewn by the Ho-Chunk women of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. The winner of the quilt has her own moving story to tell:

The Harvest Pow Wow is always a warm welcome to us of Kand K Krafts. You, of Midwest SOARRING, have made us feel a part of the Pow Wow celebration. This year I was greatly honored by receiving the star quilt in the raffle. You can never know just how much this meant to me.

The Harvest Pow Wow has now become the anniversary of major events. This year, Bob & Dawn Gagnon, married at our 4th Annual Harvest Pow Wow, danced in honor of their first wedding anniversary. For many others, the weekend celebrates an annual opportunity to reconnect with friends unseen since the previous year.

Special thanks to all our head people, and to the Nitti Hills Band for filling our dinner break with excellent music. And thank you to all who attended, for everyone who joins with us as our family helps make that Great Circle of Life bigger and stronger.

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