Drums draw community to pow wow
American Indians do not bring their drum to celebrations and spiritual meetings. The drum brings them.“The drum has a spirit, so we follow it where ever it takes us,” said Lee Plenty Wolf.
Saturday, the drums brought Plenty Horse and hundreds more to Palmer Ridge High School for Monument’s first ever pow wow, a social gathering of American Indians from various tribes meant to keep traditions alive and pass the culture to future generations.
Dancers from 3 to 90 years old kept rhythm with the pow wow drums while their families and non-native community members looked on. Many came to watch, learn and shop from the various American Indian artists selling jewelry, paintings and clothing.
These gatherings are increasingly rare in this area. When Brad Bearsheart moved from the Dakotas to the Colorado Springs area in 1984, pow wows were held at least once a month. There are now about four a year.
“It’s mainly for the kids,” Bearsheart said. “It keeps them out of trouble, if you ask me. Not to mention continuing their culture from their ancestors.”
Brenda Ray of Cheyenne, Wyo., doesn’t have any American Indian blood, but started dancing a year ago with her 11-year-old daughter, a descendant of the Shawnee tribe.
“It is really special to her because she knows that her mom is here and we can go out and dance together,” Ray said. “We’re going to try to do team dancing.”
Though many elder American Indians did not attend Saturday’s pow wow due to a death in the community, Project Lighthouse, the event’s coordinator, and the Palmer Lake Historical Society gained special permission to carry on with the day of celebration.
“We have a song for everything in life, from the time you are born to the time you pass on, and even then we have songs.”
Last year Harold Hawkins, owner of Continental Cleaners, began a coat drive in an effort to help the homeless in Colorado Springs. With last year’s drive bringing in 160 coats, Hawkins is once again holding his coat drive at 1045 N Academy Blvd. Photo by MARIAH TAUGER, THE GAZETTE