November 8, 2014

20th Annual Harvest Pow Wow & 2014 Fall Events

Midwest SOARRING 20th Annual Harvest Pow Wow

Celebration of Diversity

Attendees at the 20th Annual Harvest Pow Wow experienced a celebration of diversity the weekend of September 20-21, 2014. Despite the intermittent rain, the festive and colorful event drew over forty-five thousand visitors to the Naper Settlement in Naperville, Illinois. In the main arena, Native American drumming and singing resounded, while Native American dancers – some as far away as northern Wisconsin-danced to the drumbeat throughout the weekend.

Beading of the Woodland Tradition

Everyone had the opportunity to order Indian Tacos complete with Fry Bread, or sample other Native foods. A children’s booth with arts and crafts and an honoring of military veterans was included at the pow wow.

A crowd pleasing favorite of the weekend is the opportunity for visitors to shop over thirty-five vendor booths. The vendors feature a variety of Native American arts and crafts, including one of a kind rings, earrings, and necklaces; hand embroidered clothing with Native designs, colorful sweaters and jackets from the Andes mountains of South America, herbal soaps and body lotions, artisan made Native flutes and a wide selection of Native music CD’s, bright beaded earrings and hair ornaments, and hides.

A highlight on Saturday was the stirring performance by Laura Grizzlypaws, the only female Grizzly Bear dancer in North America. Laura resides in British Columbia, Canada, within her tribal community. She spoke to the audience first in her native tongue, and then translated in English, describing the importance of the Grizzly Bear as a teacher to mankind, and the necessity to protect its habitat.

Laura Gizzlypaws

This was followed by a haunting song in her native language. While the drum group played, Laura donned a large Grizzly Bear hide and moved into the arena, becoming one with the Grizzly Bear. Everyone was spellbound by his dance movements which resembled a large bear in the wild. For the Mid-westerners watching, her performance was breathtaking. Laura graciously met with the public later for photo opportunities.

At the dinner break, Hugo Guterriez and Ancestral Roots from Chicago performed authentic Andean music. The group entertained the audience with a wide range and size of Andean flutes. Their music added to the diversity and festivity of the pow wow as several members from the crowd danced. This was followed by Mark Jourdan, another favorite Chicago Native Musician, who played his guitar and serenaded the crowd with in song.

Plans are already underway for next year’s Harvest Pow Wow to be held September 26-27, 2015.

Westchester Library Pow Wow Photography Exhibit

During the months of August and September, the Westchester Public Library featured an exhibit of twenty Pow Wow photographs, taken at previous Midwest SOARRING Pow Wows by Colordance Design. The exhibit generated many positive comments and interest by library patrons. A second exhibit is planned for the Westmont Public Library in February, 2015.

Ojibwey Stories, Songs, and Drum Circle with Ron Kanutski

On November 15, 2014 at 2pm, Midwest SOARRING will feature an afternoon of Ojibwey stories,

Ron Kanutski, Little Medicine Cloud, Bear Clan

songs, and drum circle with Ron Kanutski, Little Medicine Wheel Cloud, Bear Clan, from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Ron actively works in the mental health and addictions field as a consultant, group facilitator, counselor, college professor, trainer, healer, and cultural teacher. He has spent time with the Elders of the Woodland tradition, and enjoys sharing those teachings to people of all cultures. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience Ron’s humor, inspiring stories, and Ojibwey song. Discounted advance tickets are available online at http://www.midwestsoarring.org/calendar.html At the door ticket price are $25 per person.

Midwest SOARRING Annual Members Meeting

The Annual Members meeting will be held Saturday, November 22nd at 4pm at the Midwest SOARRING Foundation Cultural Center, 1 Hickory Lane, Westchester, IL. This meeting is held to elect board members for the coming year, review the struggles, successes, and celebrations of our organization from October 2013 to October 2014, and discuss future aspirations. Following the meeting, a pot luck dinner will take place. Enjoy fellowship with other members as we catch up on all that has been happening this far. Please RSVP to 708.257.4300 by November 20, 2014. For more information visit http://www.midwestsoarring.org/calendar.html

Volunteer Appreciation & Members Holiday Party

On Saturday, December 13, 2014 from 5pm to 9:30pm, Midwest SOARRING will hold the annual party for volunteers and members at the Pilcher Nature Center,2301 Highland Park Dr., Joliet, IL 60432. This gathering is a celebration of the community we build by the work we do. Please bring a dish/desert to share. Meat, mashed potatoes,rolls, and beverages provided. Candlelight Walk at 5pm. Dinner and fellowship following the walk.

Everyone is asked to bring a gift/ item to share with those in need on local reservations, as well as a handmade ornament to place on the Spirit Tree. For more information visit http://www.midwestsoarring.org/calendar.html. This event is open and free to all 2014 MSF SOARRING volunteers and current members. Memberships can be renewed at the event or online at a nominal fee of $8 per person. Please RSVP to 708.257.4300.

We look forward to seeing you at these and future events.

August 19, 2014

SOARRING 2014 SPRING & SUMMER EVENTS

Stinging Nettle Workshop with Elder Don Clarke

On May 17th, 2014, talented elder Don Clarke shared his knowledge of the Stinging Nettle plant at Midwest SOARRING Native American Cultural Center to an attentive audience. Clarke has built his own birch bark canoe and two authentic Native American lodges. He lives in the utmost respect for nature on sixty acres in the country. He also weaves museum quality bags with captivating patterns from prairie plants such as Dogbane, Indian Hemp, Stinging Nettle, and Basswood.

Workshop participants learned where Native Woodland Indians gathered dried stalks from our region to create woven mats and bags. Each workshop attendee had the opportunity to strip a long strand from a dried Stinging Nettle stalk and twist it into a strong cord with a second strand. This was time consuming and took some skill.These twisted cords could then be used for a variety of purposes from lashing wigwam poles to weaving mats and bags.

Don Clarke’s handwoven stinging nettle bag

Clarke explained that Native people used warps on a bar or lap loom and a needle made from deer antler to weave their tribal designs into the piece. In this way they reinforced the strength of their tribe. Strands of cord were often dyed from plants such as the black walnut shell. One bag could take up to 200 hours to weave.

2nd Annual Indian Arts & Craft Market

June 21st and 22nd revealed a steady stream of visitors at the 2nd Annual Indian Arts & Craft Market, held at the Midwest SOARRING Native American Cultural Center. Vendors displayed handmade pottery, crafts, and clothing. Visitors watched exhibition Native American dancing, examining the Midwest SOARRING Foundation tipi, enjoyed the peaceful setting while they shopped.

The next Indian Arts & Craft Market to be held in conjunction with the Bison Blessing at the Elgin Museum in Elgin, IL on October 4, 2014.

SOARRING 20th Anniversary

Midwest SOARRING members and the honor guard gathered on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at the Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox to commemorate SOARRING’s 20th anniversary. The golf course is unique in that it strove to preserve the integrity of a Miami Village and burial site, which involved a three year struggle, beginning in 1993.

Festival of the Horse & Drum Pow Wow

On August 16 & 17th Midwest SOARRING Foundation hosted a wonderful Pow Wow in conjunction with the Festival of the Horse and Drum. Held at the Kane County Fairgrounds, in St. Charles, I,. Native American dancers wearing finely beaded regalia danced to the drum beat in the arena. Everyone—dancers, drummers, singers, and spectators had a great time.

Head Lady Jingle Dancer

The festive spirit was infectious. The emcee enriched the pow wow by sharing cultural information about the origin of each dance. Of special note, the Ho-Chunk Swan Dance and Fish Dance, as well as the Smoke Dance were performed.

During the course of the event, spectators were treated to a wide variety of horses and their special attributes.

20th Annual Midwest SOARRING Foundation Pow Wow

The excitement is building! In just one month, on Sept. 20 & 21st the 20th Annual Midwest SOARRING Harvest Pow Wow will be held at the Naper Settlement. The family friendly event draws large crowds who are eager to watch the dancing and listen to the music in the arena, shop for Native American arts and crafts, partake of the food and enjoy this unique cultural celebration. Everyone is eager to see Laura Grizzly Paws, a Grizzly Bear dancer from Canada. She will perform in the pow wow arena throughout the weekend.

Bring your friends and family. To purchase advance tickets online please visit www.harvestpowwow.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate.

We look forward to seeing you!

January 12, 2014

2013 FALL SUMMARY

The later half of 2013 proved to be a full and productive year for Midwest SOARRING Foundation. The calendar of monthly events included beading workshops, Fireside Talks, a first Tiospaye Honor Ceremony, and monthly Women’s Group meetings, Fall Equinox and Winter Soltice observances, in addition to the annual Harvest Pow Wow held in September.

MIDWEST SOARRING FIRESIDE TALKS

Midwest SOARRING Foundation hosted the first Fireside Talk, given by Cindy Hicks-Orth, Director and Founder of Giving Back To Wounded Knee Foundation on July 27, 2014 at the Westchester Public Library. Hicks-Orth presented on “Together In The Spirit” and covered the history and current day affairs on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota, two of the three most poverty stricken counties in the country. Hicks is of Shawnee ancestry and spends much of her summers planning and organizing her foundation’s annual Give Away for the Ogalala Lakota and Rosebud Sicangu Reservations in South Dakota.

President/Founder of Giving Back To Wounded Knee Foundation, Cindy Hicks-Orth

As an activist for Native American issues, Hicks speaks on issues current and relevant to the people she serves, and those issues of historical value that may not be so familiar with “outsiders.” Hicks brought with her a large display gallery of Native American artifacts and books for the public to peruse. She was grateful to receive a truckload of donations from Midwest SOARRING Foundation members for her annual fall GiveAway.

Dave Nordin presented the second Fireside Talk on October 19, 2013 at the Midwest SOARRING Foundation Cultural Center. Nordin holds a BA in Modern European History in addition to his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law. He spoke on the “Similiaries and Interaction Between the Native Nations and the Colony of New Sweden.” His fascinating talk introduced awareness of an immigrant group whose behavior did not fit the more common pattern of exploitation, deception, and violence in North America.

CALL TO ACTION

In early October Midwest SOARRING joined a rally in support of Racine Mounds, a cemetary where Indian burial mounds are located. Initially the funeral home sought to buy a piece of cemetery where Indian remains were located, yet, upon consultation with the Ho-Chunk Nation, backed out of the deal.

TIOSPAYE HONOR CEREMONY

On October 12, 2013 Midwest SOARRING Foundation held its first annual Tiospaye Honor Ceremony to honor family and friends who have passed on. A potluck dinner was held after the ceremony to encourage sharing and sense of community among participants.

Medicine Wheel

MSF WOMEN’S GROUP

This year the Midwest SOARRING Foundation Women’s Group has met monthly (fourth Friday of every month) at 7pm at the Cultural Center. The well attended event encourages women gathering to share their life cultural experiences and build camaraderie with one another. November included a pipe ceremony with Joseph Standing Bear Schranz.

ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING & VOLUNTEER HOLIDAY PARTY

The Annual Members Meeting was held on November 16, 2013. Board members were elected for the coming year, and Joseph Standing Bear Schranz gave a review of the struggles, successes, and celebrations of the organization since last October. He also provided an overview of future plans and aspirations which included initiating Phase II of the Recreated Native Village. Members enjoyed a tasty potluck dinner during the meeting.

A month later, holiday festivities were celebrated at the annual MSF Members and Volunteer Holiday Party at the Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet. A candlelight walk preceded the dinner and fellowship. Afterwards the annual tradition of sharing a handmade ornament for the Spirit tree occurred. This is a time of heartfelt sharing in community, giving thanks for the learnings, goodness and blessings bestowed on members lives during the past year. Members brought gifts of winter hats, mittens, non-perishable food items, household goods, or a new toys for those in need living on reservations.

PHASE II of RECREATED NATIVE AMERICAN VILLAGE

Midwest SOARRING is happy to report that many saplings have been cut in preparation for the Longhouse building which will begin this spring on the Cultural Center grounds. Comcast Cares will return to assist with the preparation and planting of the Midwest SOARRING garden in May. A meeting has been scheduled in January to plan the garden.

October 22, 2013

19th Annual Harvest Pow Wow

A crisp autumn weekend greeted over 6,000 participants at the 19^th Annual Harvest Pow Wow which took place Sept. 21 & 22, 2013 at the Naper Settlement, Naperville, IL. As an intertribal event, the pow wow welcomed Native American dancers and vendors from across the country. This annual gathering allows the greater Chicago metro residents to experience Native American culture in a way not possible through other media sources. The city of Naperville provided partial funding with a SECA grant for the event.

Over thirty vendor booths at Harvest Pow Wow

The family friendly event had something for everyone. Participants savored the beautiful autumn weather.

With over thirty vendors selling Native American arts and crafts, there was plenty of opportunity to shop for authentic clothing, jewelry, music, foods, and herbal remedies. Children’s crafts included activities such as sand painting, beading, weaving, and flintknapping (arrowhead making.) S.O.A.R. (Save Our American Raptors) exclusive to Midwest SOARRING Foundation pow wows, brought Deshka, the American Bald Eagle and other birds of prey for display. A popular exhibit allowed the public to view and take close-up photos of owls and hawks, and learn about their care.

Many families were fascinated by the authentic Elmbark wigwam recreated by an expert craftsman. He had carefully studied drawings and written descriptions of Woodland Indians native to the Midwest. Built as a hunting lodge, the wigwam was complete with beds made of stinging nettle cords, hides, and cornhusk mattresses.

In the main arena, Native American dancers stepped in time with the drumbeat in colorful regalia specific to their chosen dance style. Thorpe and Nicole Sine, as head male and lady dancers, entertained the audience with their award winning style of dance.

The Native American drum is sacred and is viewed as the heartbeat of Mother Earth. The head drum for the Harvest Pow Wow was the Milwaukee Bucks. Two other invited drum groups from Wisconsin, Little Thunder and Sawanohsaeh Singers provided the rhythm and singing for the weekend.

The Little Bear Hoop Dancers from the Menominee Tribal School in Wisconsin demonstrated intricate dance steps with a series of hoops. Of special importance was the veteran honoring ceremony held at conclusion of each Grand Entry during the weekend. Selected veterans at each session were given the Warrior Medal of Valor.

Head Lady and Male Dancers
Thorpe and Nicole Sine

An honor blanket was given Saturday to Herman Logan, and on Sunday to Hayna Sine for their outstanding contributions to the Native American community.

Saturday evening, special guest artist and two time Grammy award winner, Robert Mirabal from Taos Pueblo, sang, played Native flute, and told stories of his people. Mirabal was sponsored by Closet Works, a Chicago area custom closet retail store. A special VIP reception was held earlier in the day where ticket holders had the opportunity to meet and greet the Native American celebrity and have their picture taken with him. Participants also had the opportunity to hear him play and answer questions in a more intimate setting.

Sunday morning the Aztec dancers blessed the crowd by burning sacred herbs, drumming, and synchronized dance steps. All wore traditional Aztec regalia. The 19th annual pow wow came to a festive close, with plans already in the works for next year’s 2oth celebration, to be held September 20 & 21, 2014. Visit us again soon for more details on next year’s 20th Harvest Pow Wow celebration.

July 28, 2013

Robert Mirabal at Sep 2013 Pow Wow

Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to the 19^th Annual Midwest SOARRING Foundation Pow Wow! Our special guest is the world renowned Pueblo musician, Robert Mirabal who will perform on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 5pm in the arena, located on the grounds of the Naper Settlement.

Everyone also has the opportunity to purchase tickets for a VIP session with Robert Mirabal at 2:30pm on Saturday. Seats are limited and can only be purchased online.

Special Guest Robert Mirabal

Robert Mirabal is a Pueblo musician and Native American Flute Player and Maker from Taos Pueblo, NM. His flutes are prized for their excellent artistic quality and have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of the American Indian. An award-winning musician, he performs worldwide, sharing flute songs, tribal rock, dance and storytelling.

Mirabal was twice named the Native American Music Awards Artist of the Year and received the Songwriter of the Year award three times He has also published a book of storytelling poetry and prose. Mirabal is a father and a farmer, living in Taos Pueblo and participates in the traditional way and rituals of his people. Learn more about Robert Mirabal. Mirabal’s VIP session and performance is sponsored by Closet Works.

Sunday Performance by Aztec Dance Group Ocelotl-Cihauacoatl

Performing in the pow wow arena on Sunday at 11:30am is the Aztec dance group, Ocelotl-Cihauacoatl. Aztec dance involves a positive attitude toward every aspect of life, including the worship of nature as it is a gift provided by the Creator.

This indigenous dance style worships the sun so that it will appear every day to help the crops produce and provide light for the harvest.

Aztec Dance Group Oceloti-Chihuacoatl

The specific dance movements are a prayer for cosmic harmony. Each dancer performs a series of movements such as serpent like actions to represent fertility, squatting on the floor to convey the earth and crops, twirling in the air as a reference to the soul, alternating backward and forward steps symbolic of fire, and zigzag steps illustrating the movement of water. Individual focus on being attentive so they can become one entity. Read more about Danza Azteca.

Read more about the 19th Annual Harvest Pow Wow highlights, and purchase advance discounted tickets online. Download a pow wow flyer.

Midwest SOARRING Foundation looks forward to seeing everyone at the 19th Annual Harvest Pow Wow. We also invite you to become a member of our organization. and join our mailing list.

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