March 28, 2017

Fall -Winter 2016 SOARRING News

October 2016 SOARRING Trip to Standing Rock, North Dakota

Joseph Standing Bear Schranz and a small contigent of SOARRING members drove to North Dakota to deliver items we purchased with money collected for the No DAPL issue at the Pow Wow. SOARRING purchased a 12×12 heavy duty outfitter tent, with a stove to heat/cook inside, as well as the floor, roof protector, and vestibule which attaches to the tent for

Tent Delivered to Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

storage (purchased at Cabelas.)

They also took a couple dozen ski gloves and boxes of hand and toe warmers purchased from Costco. Although this is just a dent in the need to get the camp ready for winter, we believe it made a difference. Thanks to the generosity of our members, supporters, and a donation from the Grand Village of the Kickapoo Pow Wow and our Harvest Pow Wow attendees! We collected an additional $308 at our center and added it to the funds for the Standing Rock Heater and Medic Council. This donation was added to their funds SOARRING thanks everyone for their generosity.

#NoDAPL T-shirts For Sale

SOARRING continues to sell #NoDAPL T-shirts with the Midwest SOARRING Foundation logo. They are available for sale at our Cultural Center located in Lockport, IL. We are offering a MSF member discounted price of $20. Please call ahead for center hours at 708.257.4300.

SOARRING Christmas Tree at the Cantigny Mansion Wheaton, IL

SOARRING Christmas Tree at Cantigny Museum Mansion

At the Cantigny Musuem mansion in Wheaton, Illinois Friday, November 18 through December 29, the McCormick Museum featured seven “Community Trees,” each decorated for Christmas by a different local nonprofit organization. The area charities were invited to participate because their missions involve issues or causes that were important to Robert McCormick during his career and life at Cantigny. Midwest SOARRING Foundation was honored to be asked to decorate one of the trees and is thankful to the Robert McCormick Foundation for being chosen to participate. The SOARRING tree was beautifully decorated with Native themed ornaments and received many, many compliments. Each participating organization received a $2,500 grant from the Robert McCormick Foundation. Museum visitors are encouraged to visit the museum, enjoy the tour, and vote for their favorite tree.

Additional SOARRING Events

SOARRING enjoyed a full calendar of events this fall including:

A Bison Blessing at Lord’s Park in Elgin, IL
Wild Utah Presentation
A sponsored presentation on Wild Utah: America’s Red Rock Wilderness given by Clayton Daughenbaugh, conservation organizer with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
A Holiday Open House and Native American Market in November, held for 2 Sataurdays at the SOARRING Cultural Center
A drum circle and story telling session with Ron Kanutski, Cultural Consultant from Thunder Bay Ontario
And a volunteer appreciation dinner and Annual Member’s Meeting and Holiday Party at the Pilcher Nature Center in Joliet, IL.

Fall 2016 SOARRING News

22nd Annual Harvest Pow Wow-September 24 & 25, 2016

A wonderful celebratory mood enveloped the 22^nd Annual Midwest SOARRING Foundation Harvest Pow Wow the weekend of Sept. 24 & 25^th, at the Naper Settlement.

Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico

During the Grand Entry processions proud Native American dancers from many Midwestern tribes filed into the arena, led by veterans carrying flags. Throughout the weekend these dancers entertained the public in their colorful regalia and dance styles. Scout troops, families, couples and friends of all nationalities savored the entertaining, educational, and family friendly event.

Over thirty five vendor booths with Native themed arts & crafts filled the settlement grounds providing visitors ample shopping opportunities. Vendors sold jewelry and handcrafts from the Southwest and indigenous Mexico, skillfully made wooden Native flutes, indigenous herbal remedies, and sweaters and bags from the high Andes mountains.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn about several non-profit organizations with booths at the Pow Wow which included the CANA Foundation, S.O.A.R. (Save Our American Raptors), and veteran’s services. Many waited in lines to taste the popular Indian Tacos made with fry bread as well as grilled bison burgers, and sample an assortment of other tasty offerings.

Families and friends rested in the shade with lawn chairs while the arena was filled with the brilliantly dressed Native American dancers, moving to the beat of the

Petting Horse

drums. Dance demonstrations highlighting the different Native American dance styles were held throughout the day. Other Harvest Pow Wow highlights included two dramatic drumming and dance performances by the Aztec Dancers. Special guest Native American celebrity Moses Brings Plenty mingled with the crowd, signed autographs and was available for photo shoots and discussions about CANA with pow wow goers.

During the dinner break Moses spoke to the arena audience about the efforts of the CANA Foundation, a non-profit organization with “re-wilding” as it’s reason for being, where wild horse herds as family groups are relocated on to Native American reservations.

He also described the Native American protest against the Dakota Pipeline at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota. Later, a blanket dance and offering was collected as a donation to the Standing Rock Sioux. Over $1,000 was collected. Midwest SOARRING also sold a number of NO DAPL t-shirts at the pow wow.

Popular activities at the children’s area included flintknapping (making an arrowhead), art projects (beading, sandpainting) and decorating a horse shoe created by a blacksmith. Many families enjoyed visiting and taking photos by the Midwest SOARRING tipi. An all time favorite was petting and observing the live mustang horse, painted in true Native style next to the CANA booth.

Later, in the arena hoop dancer Randy Preston thrilled the packed arena with his athletic and artistic moves. He created animal shapes from six or more large hoops dancing all the while. Audience favorites, talented musicians Al Jourdan sang and played guitar, and Al Jewer played Native Flute.

Hoop Dancer Randy Preston

The joyful pow wow atmosphere was contagious, as the number of dancers and crowd numbers continue to be attracted to the Native American cultural event. Next year’s Harvest Pow Wow is scheduled for September 23 & 24th, 2017 and promises to bring more cultural education and entertainment to Naperville, Illinois.

America’s first people and Native American culture is alive and vibrant in the Midwest.