Elmo greets dancers, players, spectators

ELMO — Members from Tribes around the country and other visitors turned out for the 32nd Annual Standing Arrow Pow Wow, which took place this past weekend in Elmo. The powwow began with the grand entrance on Friday.

Junior Caye greeted the eager participants as the opening ceremony kicked off.

“I’d like to thank everyone for traveling many miles to attend the Standing Arrow Pow Wow,” he said. “We talk to the Great Spirit. It takes a lot to put up a pow wow - we all know that. We ask the Great Spirit that everyone gets here safely,” adding that the same goes for the return journey.

And as the drummers sat poised and ready and the men, woman and child dancers stood by in traditional dress, everyone shared in the moment - the powwow was finally upon them.

“This is who we are as Indian people,” Junior said. “This is what we are about.”

Between opening dances, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Councilman Steve Lozar reminded the crowd it was a time for celebration, but a time for remembrance.

“I ask that this be a time we remember those who have left us this year,” he said.

Lozar went on to address what makes this year’s powwow so significant - it is a preview of what is to come, with new grounds already underway for next year.

“I want to remind each of you this is a transition from the old to the new, so I ask each of you to bless this land,” he said.

Blessings came down from those spanning the aboriginal territories of the hosting Kootenai, Salish and Pend d’Oreille Tribes and far beyond.

As for the new grounds, powwow organizer Weemus Wilder said the grounds have been changed, but a new dance arbor marked with new pillars will not be complete until next year. Wilder said this year’s powwow brought more dancers than previous years and expects next year’s new arbor to be home to an even larger turnout.

Seven circles marked by small pilings leading to the future arbor were used as space for vendor’s this year, but will be marked with the flags of each of the seven bands of Kootenai by this time next year, she said.

Getting the grounds ready for everything from camping, drumming, a stickgame tournament, canoe races and the dance contests wasn’t easy, Wilder said.

Last week’s rainstorms turned the grounds to mud just days before the pow wow, but the tide turned favorably later in the week as the last of the arrangements were being set by busy community members. The sun came out in a big way.

“I think nature cooperated with us. Maybe someone’s watching over us,” Wilder said of the recovery.

Twelve volunteers from a Christian Young Life group out of Massachusetts drove all night to help in the effort. It is the group’s second year in a row participating in the pow wow.

“They want to come back next year too,” Wilder said. “We’ve built a relationship with them.”

This year’s stickgame tournament honored Wilder’s mother, Lorene Caye, who passed away in 2004.

“She’s from Elmo, she grew up most of her life here. My family’s all here. We just thought it would be a good year to have it,” Wilder said.

The host drum for the pow wow was the Chief Cliff Singers. Emcee Gabby Corral of the Spokane Tribe came all the way from Wellpinit, Wash., to address the crowd.

“I enjoy it. I like to make people laugh, keep the crowd moving, and keep people happy,” he said. “I’m really honored that the Standing Arrow Pow Wow committee chose me to emcee the 32nd annual powwow.”