By. Jerry W. Kram

MHA Times Reporter

In a few months the Powwow Season on the MHA Nation will begin. As the annual summer powwows have gotten larger and more elaborate over the past decade, some have started to miss the intimate, community flavor that made them uniquely MHA events.

That’s one reason the Four Bears Community Board offered to sponsor an Easter Powwow held at the Johnny Bird Memorial Building last Thursday and Friday. The event was going to include a round dance as well, but illness among the organizers led to that part being canceled. Still, Russell Dean, president of the Community Board, was pleased with how the event turned out.

“We are looking to sponsor another around Easter next year,” Dean said. “We haven’t done this for years. We always had gatherings like this when I was young in each area of the reservation. Now it’s time to get back to that again.”

Sidrick Baker Jr., an event manager for Four Bears Segment, was the main organizer of the powwow.

“We put on the powwow to encourage the youth of our community and surrounding communities to sing and dance,” Baker said. “I think it is a very important time for our children to learn while we still have people to teach them. I am also hoping that this will catch on and that other segments will hold smaller doings so we don’t just have our big powwows in the summer.”

Dean said at one time there would be many small round dances and powwows mainly for community members. These were mostly held in the winter. In recent years, the large summer powwows have come to dominate. The generous community support has allowed prize money that attracts dancers from across the United States and Canada.

“In the winter we would have what I called gatherings,” Dean said. It was a celebration for the community. People would come from all over the reservation to dance and talk and see people they might not have seen for years, or at least the last time they danced together.”

“This is all for the youth and our elders and everyone who wants to get out and sing and dance,” Baker added. “What we did here in Four Bears Segment I hope will catch on in the other segments.”

Dean was happy with the turnout. He figured about 300 gathered in the gym of the Johnny Bird Building.

“It was a blessing to see our little ones out there along with you juniors and high school kids,” he said. “We had all the way from tiny tots to adults. The adults aren’t quite golden age yet so for me they are still kids.”

“Turnout was awesome,” Baker said. “It happened to be sort of during the week on a Thursday and Friday but the people still turned out. I am looking forward to things being bigger and better in the future.

He also applauded the eight drums that showed up for a two day local powwow. He appreciated people turning out during a holiday where many can travel to visit family or see attractions elsewhere.

“It’s just before Easter, on Good Friday, but I think people really enjoyed themselves out there,” Dean said. “I was out there myself. I dance for the ones who can’t be here and I dance for the ones who can’t. Both I and my wife Anita are like that. We are very traditional. We like watching the little ones and helping them out.”

Dean said many of the other community board members were busy with family and the holiday, so he will be giving them a report on how well the powwow went. He also wants to encourage other communities to put on their own events.

“I think they will agree with me that this is something we need to support,” he said. “I think if Four Bears starts it the other communities start doing it too. That’s what we are looking at.”

Dean also invited everyone to come to a big cash Bingo event in the coming weeks and the Four Bears Annual Powwow on Memorial Day Weekend at the 4 Bears Event Center.