Fallsnewspress.com - Third annual powwow set for Sept. 11, 12

RPC Photo / Lisa Scalfaro Clockwise from left, Jason Rogers Littlebear, Marshal Morgan, Curtis Baltzer, Chris Lyons, Ken Jaworski, Robert Schepens, Rain Littlebear, Cameron Beaker, Jacob Plumber and Joe Webb perform at an Aug. 31 press conference encouraging people to attend the Crooked River All Nation Powwow Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 at Keyser Park, 783 W. Bath Road in Cuyahoga Falls.

RPC Photo / Lisa Scalfaro A press conference took place Aug. 31 at Keyser Park to encourage people to attend the third annual Crooked River All Nation Powwow, which is set for Sept. 11 and 12.Nell Orndorf, the chairwoman of the event, addresses a crowd of about 50 people.

RPC Photo / Lisa Scalfaro Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don L. Robart promoted the third annual Crooked River All Nation Powwow at a press conference Aug. 31 at Keyser Park.

by Phil Keren

Editor

Cuyahoga Falls -- Citizens have a chance to learn about Native American culture and heritage through an event taking place at a city park.

The third annual Crooked River All Nation Powwow will take place Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 at Keyser Park, 851 W. Bath Road in Cuyahoga Falls.

"Each year, it grows and gets bigger," said Falls Mayor Don Robart, at a press conference at Keyser Park Aug. 31 to encourage people to attend the festivities. "... This year promises to be the best ever."

Robart said approximately 700 people attended the powwow in 2009, and he's hoping that 1,000 make it to the 2010 event.

"There's no reason why someday this isn't the biggest in the state if not the country," said Robart at the press conference, which was hosted by city leaders and members of the Native American community.

The powwow is a charity event organized to help the Native American Indian and Veterans Center, according to a news release from the city. Its mission is to bring communities together to share information and work with state and local officials to address issues that affect the Native American communities.

The powwow will have dancers, musicians, vendors, and educational displays depicting spirit animals and native heritage. There will be food vendors, clothing and craft vendors, a silver smith and many more. There will also be storytelling and "make and take" crafts for children.

"I think it's very fitting and proper that this powwow be held in Cuyahoga Falls," said Robart. "Our city is just replete with evidence of ... Native American Indians on our land ... to this day we find arrowheads in River Estates."

Robart added, "Who in the area isn't familiar with the saga of Mary Campbell Cave and [Campbell's] involvement, the first white settler into this area along with the Indians?"

"Our powwow is a charity powwow," said Nell Orndorf, the chairwoman of the powwow. " ... It's an educational powwow so people can learn what our heritages are ... that lends itself for us to bring our young people up knowing what their heritage is ... "

Jack Lyons, executive director of the Native American Indian and Veterans Center, said the powwow "is important to us because it is a cultural reconnection. It brings us back to our culture."

Lyons said the center offers a "Helping Hands" campaign, which assists about 200 people a year with funds for rental and utility costs.

Interspersed with the speakers on Aug. 31 were drum songs performed by a group of Native Americans from various nations. The group -- which included both adults and children -- sat in a circle while pounding on the drum with beaters and chanting. Some performers donned Native American regalia.

Jim Orndorf, an event coordinator, said a lot of the songs are "paying tribute to our elders, paying tribute to our ancestors."

"Some of the songs are referred to as vocables," said Orndorf, "where there's not necessarily words. It's sounds [being articulated], and that becomes like an intertribal type thing because it's not any one language that's spoken ... they will sing different songs ... depending upon what their affiliation is."

Orndorf said members of the Lakota Sioux, Cherokee, Choctaw and Delaware nations were part of the group performing the drum songs. The drummers were from the Native American Indian and Veterans Center.

Orndorf said fallen veterans will be honored in the powwow.

"They're going to play an honor song where they are thanking those that have gone before us for doing what they've done, all of the veterans," said Orndorf.

An honor dance will also take place Sept. 11 to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place Sept. 11, 2001.

On Sept. 11, gates open at 10 a.m. with Grand Entry at noon and at 6:30 p.m. Hours on Sept. 11 are 10 a.m. until dark. Nell Orndorf said there will be a break for dinner from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and another Grand Entry will take place at 6:30. There will be a bonfire that night.

Hours on Sept. 12 are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Grand Entry at 1 p.m.

Admission to the powwow each day is $5 for adults; seniors and children under 12 are $3; Children under 5 are free.

Event set-up will take place Sept. 10 and there will also be a bonfire that night which the public can attend at no charge, said Orndorf.

For more information, call Nell Orndorf at 330-929-1963.

E-mail: pkeren@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3940