24th Annual Lincoln's Powwow celebrates Sovereignty
The 24 Annual Lincoln'i
Powwow and Sovereignty
Celebration was held February 9
11, 2001 at the Simnasho
Longhousc. This gathering in a
celebration of self-government,
sovereignty, and an honoring of
children, veterans, leaders, chiefs,
councilmcn, senior citizens,
ciders, sobriety, and the field of
education.
Dance competition was
judged on the point system.
Results are as follows:
Woman's Fancy
1 Mildred Onepennee, Toppenlsh,
WA
2" Suzle Walsey, Toppenlsh, WA
31 Kathy Eaglespeaker, White
Swan, WA
Women' Jingle
1 Henrietta McGurk, Sacramento,
CA
2-paula McCurtaln, Roy, WA
3-Fallon Mount, Hays, MT
Men's Fancy
1" Gary Smith, Granger, WA
2ntf William Clements, Warm
Springs, OR
Men's Grass
1 Merlin Klcklngwoman, Browning,
MT
2" Dave Madera, Roy, WA
3"1 William Wesley, Satus, WA
Men's Traditional
1" Ardell Scalplock, Sacramento,
CA
2 George Menlnlck, Toppenlsh,
WA
3 Gary Greene, Seattle, WA
Jr. Girl's FancyJIngls
1" Aja Maldonado, Wapato, WA
2 Farrellyn Bellinger, Warm
Springs, OR
3 Larlssa Bellinger, Warm Springs,
OR
Jr. Girl's Traditional
' I Jaycey Mount, Gresham, OR
2nd Celeste McGurk, Sacramento,
CA
3"1 Flora PawneeLegglns, Satus,
WA
Jr. Boy's FancyGrass
1 Dakota Maders, Roy, WA
2" Dillon Begay, The Dalles, OR
, 31 Manny Totus, Toppenlsh, WA
Jr. Boys Traditional
1 Sparrowhawk Walsey,
Toppenish, WA
2"" Anthony Maldonado, Wapato,
WA
31 Atcitty Begay, Simnasho, OR
Teen Girl's FancyJingle
Crystalene Pacheco,
Sacramento, CA
2"oVelle Pacheco, Sacramento,
CA
3"1 Liya Davis, Warm Springs, OR
Teen Girl's Traditional
1 " Dolly Hempwah, Toppenlsh, WA
2n1 Laritta Greene, Warm Springs,
OR
3rd Candace Allen, Warm Springs,
OR
Teen Boy's FancyGrass
1 Nathan Nez, Sacramento, CA
2"-Gary Villa, Warm Springs, OR
3rd Aaron Joe, Phoenix, AZ
Teen Boys Traditional
1-James Wesley, Toppenish, WA
2nd Lester PawneeLeggins, Satus,
WA
3"1 Victor Watlamet, White Swan,
WA
Round Bustle Special
1 Frank Eaglespeaker
2nd Paris Leighton Greene
3"" Gary E. Greene
3-Hand Drum Contest
Blacklodge, White Swan, WA
Drum contest (16 drums)
1 Southern Cree, Rocky Boy, MT
2nd Wild Rose, Seattle, WA
3,deiacklodge, White Swan, WA
4 Eagle Spirit, Satus. WA
5 Indian Nation, Granger, WA
1 ! ' -" ! ' T" ! r mr
I lAMM x4 a) m
: v Miff w JT7r?
w , yr t r
Traditional dancer
Photographs
by
Hamilton Greeley
Fancy dancers perform
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Grass dancer ' Three hand drum contest
Fancy shawl dancers
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Men's traditional dancer
A Rite of Passage
Those present at last week's Lincoln Powwow were After the ceremony, a man from Montana confided
able to witness a ceremony many had not experienced in Herkshan, "I haven't seen this for so long. It needs
for years. The community and members of the family to happen in other communities." Herkshan agrees
of Jake Warren Frank celebrated his passage from ba- and encourages other families to reach into their memo
byhood into the next stage of his life - early child- ries and revive traditions important to past generations.
hood. She believes that such revivals will "bring back our
identity and return our communities to mental, emo
The idea of the observance was broached by Char- tional and spiritual balance."
lotte Herkshan to the boy's great-grandfathers, Rudy
Clements and Jacob Frank Sr. Herkshan is concerned
with preserving the traditional elements that seem to
be getting lost in today's busy worJd and also consid
ers Jake a part of her own family. The three agreed
and decided that Lincoln's Powwow, a celebration of
sovereignty, was an appropriate setting for the emer
gence of a sovereign person.
Herkshan explains that Jake, whose first birthday
fell on February 10th, has left the time of babyhood,
when, bundled in his baby board, soft voices spoke to
him in baby talk. Now he will be expected to learn ,
walking, language and other skills. The observance
symbolizes not only his new responsibilities but the
willingness of his family to help him in this next stage.
Additionally, the rite of passage speaks not only of
the child's step forward but the forward movement of
each preceding generation. A grand-aunt ascends to
the matriarchal position left vacant by a grandmother
who has passed on. And, more symbolically, the
child's passage forces those who love him to also move
on - to put aside illness or grief and move on to recov
ery-
To mark the moment, Jake and his mother, Shayla
Frank, stood with previous generations fanned out
behind them in a "V" shape. Jake's hair was tied with
buckskin strap and dressed with an ermine skin. The
celebrants sang and danced as they passed Jake from
hand to hand, symbolizing the willingness of the whole
Jake Warren Frank
illage to care for him.