Great practice

We had a great practice last night, I mean we were on!
So here's something from Tim Grant, lead singer of Omaha White Tail;

And I was taught that arena, once you make that circle, tobaccos laid down out there, that's holy ground, that's sacred ground. You know, but of course not everybody has the teachings that we have. So in 1989, my Uncle Jacob Drum, Uncle Clifford Kyle, he talked to me and my brother Kally. He says, "You guys been taking your drum around," he said, "but I'm going to put food in front of god, make a sacrifice for you that we're going to give you that right to take that drum in the four directions." He said, "You do things in the right way, that drums going to take care of you and you're going to be watched over by god because these prayers and the food that we sacrifice for you." And he said, "You'll see the changes for the fact that if you'd do things the proper way, you'll see all the good things that will come your way."

Okay!

GETTING BUSIER

It,s the time of year when things start to get busier, so I will have more to talk about.
First of all, I want to let people know that the meeting friday will be at Ellen's house, so she isn't gone yet.
I told you I had found dates for the New Windsor powwow (June 23-25), well Dinah found fliers! She will bring them friday, we will see if my dates are right. I sure hope they do have it.
Also, of course, the mothersday powwow is coming up in a couple of weeks at seven circles, I hope to be there.
We also have prison dates, the women's May 20, the men's June 17.
And of course, Creve Coure rendevous memorial day weekend.
I just found about something neat at Dickson's Mounds. Some of you may know about the Sacred Sites Runs. These are a series of relay marathon runs across the country run by natives to various sacred sites, where there will be ceremonies and earth will be collected to be deposited in a special memorial. Well, Dicksons mounds will be a stop. Seven circles people will be involved, there will be a pipe ceremony, and the Rainbow singers will sing. Unfortunately, unless I have the dates wrong, it is the same weekend as New Windsor. We'll see (I don't yet know if it is saturday or sunday).
Speaking of Dickson's Mounds, I was there all weekend at an archeological meeting, and really learned a lot. There were great lectures, and tours of local sites and the Emiquon project (I learned why it is still dry). I'm going to talk all about it on my other blog, Daryl's Den (see the link at right), and I am going to put a lot up because it was really great!
If I forgot anything I will get it up later.
See you friday.

NEW WINDSOR POWWOW

I just saw a listing in whispering winds for the New Windsor powwow for June 23-25.
Considering all the rumours I have been hearing that the powwow won't be held,I think this is great news. If this is true, let's all get there and support them.
I wish Richard and Jeanie all luck (if they are still doing it, I don't really know).

kind of slow

Not much to talk about. We had a good practice tuesday, we are getting the Osage flag song down. We are also getting more round dances down.
Some people are going into yorkwood school Thursday, may 4th, but it is at 1:00 in the afternoon, so that leaves a lot of people out. If you can help, call Jerry Baker.
I got a look at the buffalo hides tuesday, and they are just about perfect. There is enough good hide to make two drums, and probably a third small one. The place we got them, Centralia Fur and Hide, has great stuff at great prices, and will consult with you about your project. They seem so great, I am putting their adress in the links list.
The next pracice is friday, April 28th, probably at Jerry's house, (Ellen hasn't left yet as far as I know, but she is still planning on leaving).
By the way, I am still looking for material to put up here. Just email me what you want to say, and I will put it up.

neat story

Here's a great cherokee story ( sorry if I stress cherokee, I am what I am).
ORIGIN OF STRAWBERRIES
When the first man was created and a mate was given to him, they lived together very happily for a time, but then began to quarrel, until at last the woman left her husband and started off toward Nûñdâgûñ´yi, the Sun land, in the east. The man followed alone and grieving, but the woman kept on steadily ahead and never looked behind, until Une´'lanûñ´hi, the great Apportioner (the Sun), took pity on him and asked him if he was still angry with his wife. He said he was not, and Une´'lanûñ´hi then asked him if he would like to have her back again, to which he eagerly answered yes.
So Une´'lanûñ´hi caused a patch of the finest ripe huckleberries to spring up along the path in front of the woman, but she passed by without paying any attention to them. Farther on he put a clump of blackberries, but these also she refused to notice. Other fruits, one, two, and three, and then some trees covered with beautiful red service berries, were placed beside the path to tempt her, but she still went on until suddenly she saw in front a patch of large ripe strawberries, the first ever known. She stooped to gather a few to eat, and as she picked them she chanced to turn her face to the west, and at once the memory of her husband came back to her and she found herself unable to go on. She sat down, but the longer she waited the stronger became her desire for her husband, and at last she gathered a bunch of the finest berries and started back along the path to give them to him. He met her kindly and they went home together.

See you all at seven circles.

we got buffaloe!

Most people probably know by now that Ellen had to delay her trip, so we are going to have this friday's practice at her house after all.We are trying to get the word to everybody, but pass it on anyhow.
I can talk now about the surprise for the group. After some scheming, we surprised Jerry last thursday with new buffaloe hides for drum heads! Richard shopped around a lot, and Jerry says these are great hides, uniform and almost flawless. There is easily enough for our drum and for the prison drum , too. In case you haven,t heard, we dicided it would be easier to make a new drum for the prison rather than trying to get the old one out.
Speaking of the prison, we are supposed to go into the women's in May, but we don't have a date yet.
Once again, remember the mothers day powwow at seven circles.
See you friday.

new link

I just put up a link on cherokee history. Enjoy.

CUB SCOUTS AND GIRL SCOUTS

We had a great performance last night at Spoon River Valley school for a cub scout group. They invited a girl scout group too, and including the parents and leaders we had a really big group. they were really enthusiastic, they had made dance sticks and things and came out and danced with us. We did a lot of songs, and performed for over an hour. It was a great time.
Dinah locked her keys in her car, but some guys there helped her get her car open, so it was allright.
Some of us have been scheming, and there is going to be a nice surprise for the group soon. I won't say more right now.
Ellen didn't leave yet, and right now she doesn't know when she will, so we don't know yet where next friday's meeting will be, but will let let everyone know. When she does leave, we will meet at Jerry's until she gets back.
Ruth is back from California, we are glad to see her, and Rosa and Scott should be back soon.
Don't forget the mothers day powwow, it's at seven circles this year.

from abe conklin

This is from the late Abe Conklin, great Ponca singer.
"Be good, be kind, help each other."
"Respect the ground, respect the drum, respect each other."
(Abe Conklin, Ponca/Osage, 1926-1995)
words to live by.

my other blog

You are all welcome to check out my other blog DARYLS DEN, it's just my own thoughts and experiences. P.S. I put up a 3 part thing on my trip west this february, plus something on the prison powwow.