Photo courtesy Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio Inc. Dean Bringsthem, Grass Dancer. A pow wow reaches deep into the pastNative American Indian Center of Central Ohio celebrates tradition, supports healthy lifestyles
By
Stephanie Woodard, Today correspondent
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“We’re building bridges -Carol Welsh, executive |
The inclusive, expansive heritage Welsh describes is not just that of Ohio’s many Native cultures, or even the traditional pow wows at Lake Andes, S.D., on her Dakota mother’s Yankton Reservation.
It also encompasses an ancient people who inhabited America’s heartland some 2,000 years ago. Legendary astronomers, mathematicians, architects and artisans left their mark on what is now Ohio in the shape of massive earthen-walled enclosures, as well as artificial hills, called mounds. Enormous circles, squares, octagons – covering hundreds of acres – encode the movements of the sun and moon. The remains of ceremonial passageways, outlying shrines and habitations cover even more acreage. Hundreds of earthworks complexes are known to exist today; once there may have been thousands.
“The pow wow will honor this rich heritage, reviving it for Native people and correcting stereotypes non-Native people may have,” Welsh said. “We’re building bridges between ancient history and today’s Indians.” For the Labor Day event, she’s arranging earthworks-themed videos and crafts workshops, as well as instruction in the use of the atlatl (an ancient spear-throwing device).
These activities are similar to those she and her husband, Mark Welsh, Ihanktonwan Dakota and NAICCO program director, provide at a satellite office they recently established at the Great Circle, an earthworks in nearby Newark. At the massive enclosure, where several football games could take place simultaneously, the Welshes are part of a team put together by Ohio State University’s Newark Earthworks Center to give tours, tell traditional stories and consult on an ancient-style garden on the premises.
The information is not just of academic interest to Welsh. “My goal is to raise awareness of the old places among Native people. These sites need to be repatriated.”
Health is another theme of the NAICCO Labor Day Weekend Powwow; displays will explain how to avoid and control diabetes and metabolic syndrome (a collection of pre-diabetic risk factors, including excess abdominal fat and high cholesterol and blood pressure). At past pow wows, attendees have been challenged to sign a pledge promising to live a healthy lifestyle.
At NAICCO’s inception in 1975, founder Selma Walker, Welsh’s mother, also had the people’s health in mind. In the organization’s earliest years, it was known for working to meet the basic needs of central Ohio’s Native people. The intertribal nonprofit soon expanded its purview to include community-building and cultural preservation. Welsh, who succeeded her mother in 1993, has continued this multifaceted legacy.
For more information on NAICCO and its two pow wows (the Selma L. Walker Powwow takes place each year over Memorial Day weekend) e-mail naicco@aol.com, or call (614) 443-6120.
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Saturday, Sep 19 at 1:10 PM Robert Xavier Betancourt Junior wrote ...
I went to the Soboba Pow Wow yesterday and there was a mini pow wow for the school children where there was an explanation of what is done at a pow wow. The seating for handicap people was right there on the floor. My sister (http://www.evelynpayne.alscommunity.org) loved it.
29373697 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Monday, Jul 27 at 3:52 AM smith wrote ...
My grandchildren no longer have the opportunity to learn by watching, then practicing next to older, experienced dancers. It's a real pity that social & fun dances are disappearing.
26835369 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Monday, Jul 27 at 3:52 AM siomy wrote ...
they should and even making their ribbon dresses with splits so it will accomodate their wilder dancing. I hope this powwow goes well!
26835364 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Monday, Jun 15 at 4:30 PM K Little Thunder wrote ...
This is wonderful! I also believe that we need to remember what powwows were originally about: celebrating life. Contesting is fine for those who can make money that way but for the rest of us? This is perfect. Great job, NAICCO!
23845937 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Tuesday, Jun 9 at 6:15 PM J.Rae wrote ...
I agree that the commercial/competitive aspect is overwhelming & changed the purpose of powwow celebrations. I find myself less excited every year and sad that old dances are disappearing. My grandchildren no longer have the opportunity to learn by watching, then practicing next to older, experienced dancers. It's a real pity that social & fun dances are disappearing. There's got to be solutions - maybe separate arenas for contest dancers; go back to warm ups only on Fridays?
23484242 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Tuesday, Jun 9 at 6:07 PM Longwind Nassar wrote ...
I am a cherokee clan mother and it's good to hear someone tryin go keep the original tradition of the pow-wow alive spirtually. We are having a pow-wow in lee maine. and our pow-wow is honoring the elders we do not have contestes for money. We keep the spirit alive. And we do for ourself. We do not ask the government for anything. Our pow-wow is being held on our own land it is called cherokee Longhouse farm. july 31st to Aug the second. our website is called cherokeeBlackfeet cultural cir
23483829 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Tuesday, Jun 9 at 3:43 PM Rachel wrote ...
This is awesome. So many powwows now a days are just about contests and winning prize money, which is not necessarily a bad thing as long as people remember what powwows were originally about. So often now you see many see girls dancing more masculine (for example- many smokedance competitions)than they should and even making their ribbon dresses with splits so it will accomodate their wilder dancing. I hope this powwow goes well!
23474957 Inappropriate? Alert Us!Add a comment
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