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!

May 3, 2014

Garden at 2nd Annual Comcast Cares Work Day

Midwest SOARRING extends a hearty thank you to everyone who contributed their time and work to make the second annual Comcast Cares Volunteer Work day on April 26th such a success.

Burning branches in firepit

Comcast employees and Midwest SOARRING members worked together to cut down a large tree, burn tree branches, pick up the grounds, rototill the garden soil, and build dirt mounds in preparation for planting seeds for a companion garden at the Midwest SOARRING Native American Cultural Center. Everyone enjoyed a hearty lunch on the patio soaking in the warm spring sunshine and the serene setting of the cultural center grounds.

NATIVE AMERICAN COMPANION GARDENING

Native people across the country typically companion garden by planting corn, beans, and squash near one another. The “People of the Longhouse” or Iroquois were the first to call the combination of corn, bean, and squash the 3-sisters. The community or ecosystem formed by these three plants does not rely on plowing but on the beneficial relationship of the plants to one another.

The beans fix nitrogen in the soil for corn and squash. The squash acts as a ground cover to lessen erosion, weeds, and increases the amount of rain that soaks into the soil. The corn provides a sturdy support on which the bean vines can grow.

Rototilling soil for SOARRING companion garden

Midwest SOARRING employs the style of garden used by the Wampanoag people and by other nations east of the Mississippi. The people of the plains and the Southwest use similar style gardens with slight differences because of climate and environment. The corn, bean, and squash chosen are heirloom varieties with ties to the native people who lived in the Midwest and/or around Lake Michigan. None of these vegetables are hybrids or genetically modified.

Thirty 18 inch diameter flat topped mounds which are 3-4 inches high were formed for the corn and beans. The mounds are 4 feet apart from center to center. Between these mounds smaller mounds were formed for the squash. Along the north side of the garden are a line of small mounds for sunflowers that were also included in native gardens. The corn will be planted sometime between May 1^st-10^th. The beans and squash will be planted when corn is 4-6 inches tall.

Mounds for companion garden of squash, corn, beans

A 3-sister garden can be as small as one mound and planted in a half barrel or small square of ground. To learn more about 3-sister gardening refer to the books and websites that are listed below.

Books:
Native American Gardening by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruschac
In the Three Sisters Garden by JoAnne Dennee
Native American Gardening- Buffalobird-Woman’s Guide to Traditional Methods by Gilbert Wilson

Websites:
University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse:
http://www.uwlax.edu/mvac/research/threesisters.htm

Mother Earth News:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/native-american-gardening-zm0z13fmzsto.aspx

Renee’s Garden:
http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/3sisters.html

Square Foot Gardens:
http://squareftgardens4u.com/?page_id=153

Cornell University:
http://blogs.cornell.edu/garden/get-activities/signature-projects/the-three-sisters-exploring-an-iroquois-garden/how-to-plant-the-three-sisters/

April 23, 2014

2014 WINTER & SPRING CULTURAL EVENTS

The memorable snowy winter of 2014 was enriched by a steady schedule of events at the Midwest SOARRING Foundation Cultural Center. These included two cultural talks in the Fireside Series, a hoop earring beading class for all ages, spring Solstice ceremony, and monthly women’s group meetings.

February featured Fireside Series talk given by Terry Lee Gasdia on “Art, Storytelling, and My Hopi Culture.” Terry is of Hopi and Akimel O’odahm descent and a Native American sculptor and carver. Terry Gasdia with Katsina Sculpture[/caption]He learned the art of oil painting and traditional Hopi Katsina doll carving from his grandfather. Influenced by his grandparents teachings growing up, Terry experienced the importance of Hopi culture and art.

Terry Gasdia with Katsina Sculpture

Thus, in his talk Terry shared some of these traditional teachings and stories, handed down from generations and memories, which influence the creation of each of his unique pieces.

In March, Janet Smith-Petersen spoke about “My Love Affair with Indian Jewelry. “ Janet is the owner of The Sundance Gallery located in Downers Grove, Illinois. She opened her gallery in 1984 and since then has devoted her life to the mission of promoting and preserving Native American Arts. As her business grew, she established relationships with many Native American artists and was invited by the Southwest Association on Indian Affairs (SWAIA) to judge at the famed Santa Fe Indian Market. Those in attendance at her talk at the Midwest SOARRING Cultural Center were fascinated to learn about different tribal styles of jewelry, turquoise facts, and the history of the native jewelry industry along with jewelry making techniques.

Nina Gilhang, of the Houma Nation, conducted a beaded hoop earring class for all ages which was well attended. On March 20, a Spring Equinox ceremony was organized by Joseph Standing Bear Schranz. Those gathered participated in prayers and talking circle as the warm spring sunshine illuminated the Cultural Center grounds.

Upcoming spring events at the Midwest SOARRING Cultural Center include two Fireside Series presentations. The first, held on April 19 featured Ron Kanutski (Little Medicine Wheel Cloud) of the Lake Helen Reserve/Red Rock Band near Thunder Bay, Ontario. On the first warm, sunny afternoon a large group of participants sat in a circle, savoring their first outdoor campfire of the season. Ron shared Ojibway traditional teachings and songs while many accompanied him on their drums. Everyone enjoyed the sense of camaraderie in the outdoor setting, where the recreated Native village will soon be built.

Drum Circle with Ron Kanutski, MSF Cultural Center

Future events include a Comcast Cares Volunteer Work Day scheduled for Saturday, April 26 which will focus on the spring garden planting and Phase II of the Native Village construction, and a presentation on May 17 with Don Clarke who will share his expertise of the Stinging Nettle plant and the art of weaving it into bags. A second annual Native Arts and Crafts show is scheduled for the weekend of June 21 and 22.

Everyone is welcome to attend Midwest SOARRING Foundation activities to learn more about the fascinating Native American culture, an important part of our heritage. Check our calendar of events for the up-to-date schedule.

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.

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