Delaware Events

[Jim Grinter]

If you have attended any interesting Delaware events, please post them here and share with everyone. Thanks.

Jim Grinter

[Jim Grinter]

My daughter Mary and I returned to Copan, Oklahoma, May 24th for the 45th annual Delaware Pow Wow. This is an intertribal event hosted by the Delaware Tribe in Oklahoma. We had a great time. I’ve attached a few pix to tell the story.

Jim Grinter

Sign on Hwy. 75 north of Copan directs people to the pow wow site.

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One group of drummers at the pow wow.

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Dancers waiting to enter the arena.

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[Jim Grinter]

Here are couple more pix from the Memorial weekend Delaware Pow Wow at Copan, Oklahoma.

[Jim Grinter]

In Sept. 2008 at the invitation of Annette Ketchum, my daughter Mary and I, and Lisa Sylva and her son Nicholas, attended Delaware Days just northeast of Copan, Okla. It was a Lenape get-together with emphasis upon language and culture. There were traditional dances around the campfire at night, crafts and story telling for the kids, a dinner with all the fry bread you could eat and lots of good fellowship. Everyone welcomed us and we had a great time. I’ve attached a few pix of the dancing. They are very dark and grainy, but give an idea of the setting.

I apologize for not getting the word out in time for others from our Kansas Delaware tribe to attend. Lisa had told me about Delaware Days several weeks in advance, but I didn’t get ahold of Annette until a week before the event. Lisa sent out an email but it was too late for anyone to make plans to travel that far. In the future I will post upcoming events on the forum and send emails. Annette is in charge of Lenape culture classes which are held Tuesday evenings throughout the year at the Delaware Indian Center in Bartlesville. These include beading, religion, language, sign language, dance etiquette, water drum and so on. We might be able to arrange a weekend event of culture classes for our group if enough people are interested.

Jim Grinter

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[Jim Grinter]

My kids (grown kids) Stan, Sam, Mary and I drove to Copan, Okla., for the recent Delaware Days powwow Saturday, Sept. 25-26, 2009. I was initially going to pass on attending the event this year because of my busy schedule and the fact that all three kids are in college in different cities. Mary however has been to Delaware Days before and had no intention of missing this year’s event. I'm glad that she insisted. We all had a great time. There was a smaller turnout this year but the camaderie and heritage was there in abundance as always.

Sam and Mary really enjoyed the dancing as you can see in the above pic.

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Curtis Zunigha (not pictured) brought a wampum belt to show everyone. The belt has special significance because the four figures on the belt represent the four Delaware tribes recognized by the Federal Government and include the Oklahoma Delaware at Bartlesville which is now an independent tribe rather than a part of the Cherokee Nation.

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[Jim Grinter]

I attended the Kansas City American Indian Fest for the first time this year. It is an arts and cultural festival sponsored by the National Center for Indigenous American Cultures. The stated purpose of the NCIAC is to preserve the sacred ground along Line Creek in North Kansas City, and also to promote understanding of Native American heritage and tradition.

The festival was quite interesting with dancers from Haskell University in Lawrence, Ks., flute demonstrations, numerous cultural programs and booths selling indian ware. The dancers welcomed participants from the audience so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. The emphasis of the Indian Fest is upon family participation so many of the activities are set up to include children. It is an annual event and I recommend it for anyone in the area.

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[Jim Grinter]

My daughter Mary, son Sam and I attended the intertribal pow wow hosted by Delaware Tribe in Copan, Okla., over the 2010 Memorial Day weekend. Here are a few pix.

The pow wow princess leads a procession into the arena to begin the evening events.

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Two competitors await their turn in the arena.

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[Jim Grinter]

Here's a couple more pix from the May 2010 Delaware Pow Wow, Copan, Okla.

This young dancer takes a break from the dancing to enjoy some strawberry slices.

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Later in the evening Sam and Mary offer to help a vendor sell his turtle shells.

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