Two of the kids and I drove down to Sisseton, SD, yesterday to start off the July 4 weekend by celebrating with the ancestors of our nations first people. Having grown up on a reservation, my childhood summertimes were graced by the colors and sounds of powwows. I have missed the drums and the dance and wanted my own kids to know firsthand of their power and beauty. It was a hot day, but we had shade as well as plenty of lemonade and Indian tacos for nourishment. I loved our adventure and am intent now on finding my way to more powwows in the future.
It’s worth noting that the American Indian of both today and in recent past has contributed valiantly to our country’s survival, even when fighting alongside former adversaries. In Montana alone, since World War I, the participation of Indian people in our country’s wars has been proportionately higher than that of any other racial or ethnic group (The History of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, 1800-2000, p.456).
Yesterday, at the 143rd Annual Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate July 4 Wicipi, the pride of the Indian people regarding their involvement fighting for this country in great numbers was evident. More than fifty American flags were on display, and tributes were carried out for those who have fought and either fallen or survived. It was a very meaningful way to celebrate our country’s existence.
Below is a brief glimpse of what we took in:
Q 4 U: How are you/did you celebrating/celebrate your Fourth of July 2010?
What a cool way to celebrate our nation’s birth!
Please invite me along to the next one. It is fascinating to me. One interesting observation of their clothes, a mix of tradional colors and clothes with Twins hats and Vikings shirts. How did the kids like it? Were there many non-natives there?
What a wonderful, wonderful post, Roxane. I have always wanted to attend a Montana Indian 4th of July Pow Wow – now, even more. I should do a better job of helping my children appreciate the native peoples who live near us. We are very close to Indian Reservation lands.
Happy 4th! 🙂
Wow! Thanks for sharing this colorful, exciting celebration!
Thanks for stopping by, gals. It was a wonderful experience. I’m still reliving it all. There are many beautiful aspects to the Native culture and I feel so grateful to have experienced them, both in the past and more recently. My daughter and I had fun watching the little ones, babies and children, especially, knowing they are carrying on an important tradition. Mary, there weren’t a lot of non-natives, but there were some. I’d say 95 percent Native, 5 percent non.