Annual Pow Wow set for Thursday, Friday

Published 8:11 am Thursday, November 28, 2013

PowWowWeb

Tired of turkey and not interested in shopping?

The annual Poarch Band of Creek Indians Thanksgiving Pow Wow will take place this week.

Gates open at 10 a.m., both Thursday and Friday. The grand entry is 1 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday.

A one-day admission ticket is $10 for adults 18 and up, and $5 for children ages 7 through 17. Children 6 and under are admitted free. There are also two-day wristbands available — they are $15 for adults 18 and up, and $7 for children ages 7 through 17.

On Thursday, activities open at 10 a.m. with a performance by the Oklahoma Creek Stomp Dancers, followed by the Poarch Creek Pow Wow Club at 10:30 a.m.

The opening ceremonies will be at 11:30 a.m., including the national anthem by Sandy Hollinger and Megan Young, and a welcome from Tribal Chairman Buford Rolin. There will also be a language presentation by students from the Fred L. McGhee Early Learning Center.

The Princess Contest starts at noon Thursday, and will feature Creek Indian young women dressed in the traditional clothing of their ancestors, culminating with the crowning of this year’s Poarch Creek Indian Princesses. The 2012-13 princesses include Senior Princess Samantha Miller, Junior Princess Madison McGhee and Elementary Princess Kinzie Rackard.

The intertribal dance competition is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, 5 p.m. until gates close Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday. The winners will be announced Friday at 6 p.m.

There are also several additional dance exhibitions scheduled for the two-day pow wow. The Tri-Community Dancers will perform Thursday at 4 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m., and the Oklahoma Creek Stomp Dancers will perform again Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

In addition to the dance events and contests, there will also be several vendors at the pow wow, selling a variety of Native American items. There will also be children’s activities and games throughout the two-day event.

No pets, drugs, alcohol, weapons or ice chests are allowed. The Poarch Creek pow wow grounds are located at 5811 Jack Springs Road.

For more information on this year’s Pow Wow, call (251) 368-9136, or visit online at www.poarchcreekindians-nsn.gov.