(Please Note*... Most recent activities at the bottom)
As the weeks and months continue we hope to have much more information to be able to share with our family and friends as we continue our journey down this path.
**On March 9th, 2010 we were added to the American Indian Center of Indiana (AICI) website along with our flag and a link to our website. Migwich to AICI and may all our Nations come together in peace.**
June 6th, 2009 MNI had their first meeting at Fort Quiatenon near West Lafayette, Indiana. Those present were Buffalo Heart Woman, Two Hearts, Wonji, Barb, Yellow Flower, her mother, Red Feather, Mitres d'ikol (Teacher) and ThreeHawks. There was no agenda other than to make new friends, have a good time, a picnic and discussions about what we would we like to see for MNI in the future.
June 21st, 2009 a sunrise ceremony was done at Ft. Quiatenon in honor of the Summer Sultriest.
July 18, 2009 was a good day! 13 friends and family members met at Barb’s for great afternoon and the weather was fantastic. There was a lot of talking and sharing, and… many thanks to our host Barb for the great Buffalo Burgers!!!!!!!!!! Everyone is looking forward to our August meeting. Hope to see you there.
Aug. 22, 2009 MNI met at Wolf's & Stands house; 10 people showed up for a great lunch! We had a discussion about the history of the Metis in Indiana and the Midwest; we also talked a little bit about traditions and the Metis and how the Metis and Native cultures became one.
Thanks to all those who brought snacks and other foods and a special thanks to Heart for the givaway. It was a very pleasent surprise!
On the Sept. 19th, 2009 the Autumnal Equinox was celebrated at Ft. Quiatenon. That evening the Feast of the Dead Ceremony was held in honor of our Ancestors.
As sunset approached a fire was lit, there was a pipe ceremony and as the first stars appeared the ceremony began.
Oct. 3, 2009 we met at the home of Buffalo Heart Woman. Many thanks to her. We all had a good time sitting around the camp fire enjoying each others company... but do to the rain it was not in the woods but on the back porch. I was there, and Big Wolf, as opposed to little Wolf, Mitres d'ikol was there, Barb was there. A new friend named Mike came. Heart's Aunt and Daughter was there as well. Heart made Aen Shouvreu - rababoo (Deer - Stew...) and was it good! We spent the afternoon talking and enjoying each other's company. Teacher shared a story with us about White Buffalo Calf Woman and the Sioux Nation. Big thanks to Teacher for shairing.
Our Nov. gathering will be at Barb's on Nov. 27th for our Green Corn celebration. Hope to see you there. Let us know if you are coming so we know how much food to be fixen!
Nov. 27, 2009 there was a nice turn out for the Green Corn Festival. Those that were able to make it were Buffalo Heart, Wonji, Two-Hearts, Small Rope and Pop, Barb, Mitres d'ikol, Yellow Flower and her Mother, Stands, Mike, Running Wolf and myself. There was a small prayer ceremony and remembrances or our ancestors before many traditional foods were served. There were even a few games and some very interesting stories were shared about family traditions. Thanks to all who made this celebration such a success and to our Creator.
On Dec. 19, 2009 we met at the Faith Baptist Church Community Center located on State Road 26 approximately 1 mile East of the I-65 and State Road 26 intersection in Lafayette. In.
There were two new visitors, Harvy & Jo-Ann, along with Barb, Mike, myself and Two-Heart. This was our first of our 5 winter teaching sessions. Hope to see you at our January meeting.
Our Jan. gathering was held at Mike Geyer's, a big thank you to Mike. There was Ham and Turkey sandwiches and lots of snacks. We were happy to have 4 first time visitors. Our teachings this time was about the Mohawk peoples.
Our Feb. gathering was once again be at Mike's home, again "thank you" to Mike! The time and date was 1:00 on Feb. 13th. Teacher and Barb came with a big pot of Chili, Yellow Flower and Kathy came bringing Corn Bread, Butch and Kathy also arrived and shaired winter stories will all. Several of our other citizens were either snowed in or weren't feeling well and of course we hope they have a speedy recovery.
Our March meeting was once again held at Mike’s on March 13th as we continued our winter teaching series. This month’s teachings were about our Northern Brothers the Cree. Attending were Mitres d'ikol and Barb, Mike of course, Yellow Flower and her Mother, Butch and Kathy, Heart and Wanji, Harvey and Jo-Anne, and myself. Also Scott, Yellow Flower’s husband, and her son Meeky (Meekwa Mukwa) ,stopped by.
There was a 15 bean soup, fry bread, Indian Taco salad, cheese, and Cole slaw, and all kinds of drinks, with lots of cookies thanks to Yellow Flower. Many thanks to “all” who pitched in and brought food and drink for all to share. Our next meeting and final installment of our winter teaching series will be on April 17th at Yellow Flowers. The final teaching and discussion for this winter will be on the Black-Foot.
Our April meeting was held on the 19th at Jamie & Scott's, a big thank you to them for opening their home up for the gathering and making everyone feel welcome. The Chicken & Noodles were great as was the Spanish Bar Cake! Those who were able to attend were, of course, Jamie & Scott, Meeky was there as well showing everyone how basketball is played. Butch & Kathy, Mike, Teacher & Barb, Kathy were also there as well as myself. This was the last of the inter-active teaching series found on line at <fourdirections.com.> Coodos to Scott for figuring out how to hook it up so we could watch it on a big screen T.V.
Thanks to all who came and made the winter teaching series a success! Migwich! Our May gathering was held at Barb’s, migwiich. Several of us packed up and headed out to find the Beaver people but we were sad to learn that, although we found the dam, there were no new signs, or cutting, or tracks. The area in which the Beaver live has a heavy concentration of Coyotes so perhaps the beaver are no longer with us. While I am sure we would have enjoyed our time with the Beaver people, Coyote has to eat too.
After returning we still had our teaching and stories, and a small Pipe Round to honor the Beaver and their relationship with the Blackfoot people.
For all those who brought food to share we say thank you and a special thank you to Mike who showed a new way to cross a stream.
Our June gathering was held on June 13th at "The Fort," it turned out to be a rather hot and muggy day, nothing like last year I might add. We had a low turnout but several of our citizens were either out of State or off to other events, mostly spiritual, nor was it a good time for our Elders to be outside. We were going to have a cookout with B-B-Q chicken…etc. but because of the excessive heat we decided to let the Col. do the cooking, thank you Col. Sanders!
Upcoming events will be sewing regalia, peyote stitching, and a possible canoe trip in September.
Remember to keep an eye on our Elders in this heat and buy them a fan if they need one.
Our July gathering was at Mike's at 1:00. Kathy D. was hurt at work so the sewing lessons have been put off for another time. As you know I sent out a note telling everyone the program was canceled but a few people showed up anyway. We had Ham and Turkey and all those things that go with summer picnics. A lot of good conversation took place. Thanks to all those who contributed their knowledge.
Our August gathering will be in conjunction with the International Metis Gathering. We hope to have lots of stories and pictures to share when we return. Check the "Events" tab for more information.
For a short clip of last years gathering go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlI6wLqtZ8
Our Sept. meeting will be the Feast of the Dead Ceremony. For more informaton contact ThreeHawks.
Hope to see you there.
Our Ceremony was rained out and will be held as soon as possible, also, we will be celebrating a Naming Ceremony at our October gathering.
Our Oct. gathering was held on the 16th of this month; we gathered in honor of the naming of Jamie's newest child. Please help us welcome our newest member to our Metis family "Yellow Star." For all those who came and all those who helped a big migwich!
Our next gathering will be at Barb's to celebrate the Fall Festival and will be held on Friday Nov. 26th. There will be a mix of traditional American Native and Metis foods and music. Hope to see you there.
The fire band was lifted in Tippecanoe County allowing us to do our annual Feast of the Dead Ceremony which was held Oct. 30th. The Ceremony was held with 10 people in attendance and a small Feast afterwards. Migwich and thanks to all to attended and to all those who helped out.
November, 2010 was a busy month for MNI, we had 2 Naming Ceremonies and our Fall Festival. All most 20 people turned out for the Festival and both Naming Ceremonies were well attented. It is good to see our citizenship grow now matter how slowly.
The month of December got away from us (me) and many of our citizend have other plans during the holidays so the bad news is it was decided no to gather in December. The good news is we will be having our Winter Teaching Series, it will be a 3 part series running Jan. - March. When we have a deffinate time and place notices will be sent out.
A safe and happy holiday to all and we will see you in January.
Our January gathering was held in Lafayette on the 15th as we will began our winter teachings series for 2011, our first showing and discussion was on "The Wisdom Keepers." They are somewhat short but hold a lot of teachings. The discussion afterwards was a good one.
Our Feb. gathering was at Scott & Jamie's again on Sat. Feb. 12th. at 1:00 I.S.T. A big Migwich to Scott & Jamie. The Bufloo Chili was a big hit. We watched parts one and two of the series "The Wisdom Keepers," March will be part three, the final part.
Migwich to all those who brought food to share and we hope to see everyone again next month. We will let every one know as soon as we have the date and place lined up.
Our March gathering was March 5th, we watched the final part of the 3 part series of the Wisdom Keepers and Tony & Sharon shared their wedding DVD with us. Thanks to Tony Sharon, and thanks to Kathy D. for opening up her home. We also enjoyed a traditional Michif meal of Le Boulette. Good Stuff!
The weekend of March 15th went well with our pipe blessing ceremony and birthing ceremony. We blessed 1 pipe and brithed 3 others. We also had 2 new visitors... welcome! Afterards we had a small meal and enjoyed the rest of the day.
Our April gathering was rained out but we still had a good time. Lots of food and some good stories. When the weather finally clears we'll get Barb's garden in.
Our May gathering went well at Fort Quiatenon on May 14th. As some of you know the local paper kind of ruined our ad but those things happen. A small group showed up and after lunch we discussed what we should be teaching our children.
On June 5th we gathered at Fort Quiatenon to celebrate our 2nd year. We had 15 people come and enjoyed Elk steaks and lots of other good food, with lots of conversations on several topics. The day started out a little cloudy but the sun came out and it turned into a very nice day. Thanks to all.
Our July gathering was held at the "National" pow-wow on Samjee, (Saturday,) Jouyet (July) 9th. in Danville, In. We will met at Tony & Sharon's camp, Tony has promised us the best corn soup there is and he did not let us down! Thank you Tony and to everyone who brought the ham and turkey sandwiches, chips, drinks and all the other goodies to share. It was a very pleasent afternoon sitting under a large Walnut tree by a small creek and chating away.
The Aug. gathering was at the Metisfest located at the International Peace Gardens along the North Dakota and Canadian line near the Turtle Mountain Reservation. There was great Michif fiddeling, singing, and gigging going on in several places. To learn more about Metis-fest you can to:(www.metisfest.com)
In Septawmbr (September) we hope to do a canoe trip down the Tippecanoe River with a stop at "Goose Poop Island" for lunch! Sounds yummy doesn't it?! We'll let everyone know the date as soon as we can. Think about coming, it's usually a fun trip!
The canoe trip didn't happen. Sometimes things just don't work out so instead we had a picnic at Barb's, thanks to Barb for letting us invade her home. We started a fire in the fire pit and cooked Brats and several brought other goodies. The rain held off; we had a lot of good Metis music to listen to; and it was nice to get to just sit around a fire and talk with friends and family. Migwich to all who came.
Oktobr (October) will be a busy month. The first weekend of Oct. we will be having our Feast of the Dead Ceremony, there will also be a Sweat during Oct. and there will also be a Naming Ceremony. If you would like more information contact us at [email protected]
October also brought us some very good news. As of Oct. 3, 2011 MNA (Metis Nation of America) now has a sister Band located in Ohio. Welcome to our newest Brothers and Sisters as we continue to grow and bring back our culture and wonderful heritage.
Tawnshi to one all, It's Novawmbr (November) already and kakihitaow, (it's getting cold). The end of the month the Americans celebrated Thanksgiving once again... and once again, along with many of our brothers and sisters from our Native side, we celebrated in our way by having our "Fall Festival/Green Corn Festival." This years celebration was Samjee, Novawmbr vaensis. (Saturday, November the 26th.) We we had traditional Metis and Native foods, and a drumming session afterwards. Thanks to all who brought food, food and more food! If it keeps up we will have to find a bigger place.
Our December gathering was held on Dec. 3, in conjunction with the American Indian Council in Lebanon, In. Lots of people showed up, the food was great, and it was good to see old friends.
Tawnshi, our January gathering was Samjee, Zhawnvee, veanwit, that's right, Saturday, January 28th. We were going to watch a docmentary style movie concerning the Freemen of the fur traders as well as "country marriages" and how the Europeans abused them, but we got busy talking about the history and customs of the Metis people and time got away from us. We'll save it for another time. We also had a traditional Michif meal made with Bufflo called Salisbury Steak, which really isn't steak but boy is it ever tasty!
MNI would also like to thank Kathy Atwell and the Tippecanoe County Historical Society for letting us use the historic Fowler House for our gathering. The Historical Society puts on a lot of good programs and we hope you support them when you get the chance.
Our Feburary gathering was in Alexandria, In. this month. We had a small get-to-gether with a carry-in lunch and we had great plans to watch the movie that we didn't get a chance to see last month, but due to technical difficulities (we couldn't figure out the DVD player) it didn't happen. A big thank you to Tony and Sharon for opening up their home.
Seems everyone was busy and had things to do and places to go during the month of March! So we decided not to get together this month but will all met up at the American Indian Council's Pow-wow in Lebanon, In. the end of April. There were a lot of venders this year and the food was pretty darn good! It was good to see so many friends.
Our May gathering was May the 19th, we went to Chicago to spend the afternoon at the Lincoln Park Zoo, everyone who went had a nice time, lots of interesting things to see and do.
This June we celebrated 3 years. Once again we gathered at Fort Quiatenon near West Lafayette, Indiana. There will be lots of food and music, aaaeee, and our sister Band from Ohio was able to join us. We had a lot of fun and great conversation!
July is the International Metis Gathering, this year it is Manatoba, Canada, they had a great turn out! There was lot's of fiddle playing, jigging, story telling, and really good food! There were more Metis and Metis flags and then you shake a stick at!
Our Aug. meeting was in conjunction with the American Indian Council Pow-wow in Lebanon, IN. As always it is always good to see old friends that you only get to see now and then, and of course all those who stop by and say hello.
In Sept. several of us got together for a lunch at the Feast of the Hunter's Moon at Ft. Quiatenon. Lots of good food and of course plenty to see.
Oct. 6th at sunset we held our Feast of the Dead Ceremony. The temp. did not get near as cold as was forecasted and afterwards several citizens enjoyed turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, along with corn and beans and pumpkin pie. Mike brought hot cider, Miigwich Mike!
November we had our Fall Festival, over 20-some people came. Great food, great music, even did some drumming. Thanks to all those who brought covered dishes...etc.
Our December gathering will be in conjunction with the A.I.C. December Social, Dec. 1st in Lebanon, In.
Winter is time to rest. Our Jan.- March gatherings will be in conjunction with the A.I.C. in Lebanon, In. Stay warm and check in on your Elders to make sure they are doing Ok this winter.
March 16th NMI citizens participated in an Idle-No-More march in Lafayette, In. The march began, after blessing and prayers on 10th St. and ended at the Court House; afterwards there was a small gathering and lunch at one of the marchers apartment located near the Court House. Migwich to Partick for his kindness.
Our April gathering was in conjunction with the American Indian Council at the Lebanon, In. pow-wow on April 27th & 28th.
Our May gathering was held to celebrate a Naming Ceremony for one of our citizens. The weather was great the food was better, the traditions continue.
June 8th we celebrated our 4th year. Had a lot good food, good music and conversation! It was pleasent get-together for our Elders all the way down to our 2 year old...who really liked the cake!
For our July gathering we are going to try and do our canoe trip down the Tippecanoe River again. For the past few years the weather has not been cooperative. If all works well we will stopping at "Goose-poop-island" for lunch. (You have to be there to find out) For more information contact us at our website.
Our Aug. we gathered in conjunction with the A.I.C. Pow-wow in Lebanon, IN. Aug. 17th & 18th. A lot of people were there. It's always good to see old friends and new!
This Sept. we will once again be conducting our Feast of the Dead Ceremony. For more information contact us through our website: [email protected]
In Oct. we will be gathering for a Naming Ceremony. Little Lucy is 3 months old and will be the guest of honor. Hope you can join us for the festivities!
Nov. was our annual Fall Festival, a small gathering of about 16 people. Lots of good food and conversation. All the kids and several adults went walking in some near-by woods and we discovered a new beaver dam in the area, good to see them making a comeback.
Our Dec. gathering was held in conjunction with the A.I.C. December Social in Lebanon, Indiana on Dec. 7th. We saw many old friends, listened to a great Drum, and the food was very good. Have a safe and happy winter and we'll be getting back together in the Spring.
Tansha one and all. A new year has begun! Hope everyone was able to make it through the winter with little or no problems. Our first get-together will be at AIC's Spring Pow-wow in Lebanon, Indiana, April 26th and 27th. Hope to see everyone there.
Our April gathering was indeed at the AIC Pow-wow, it was good to see old friends and to have MNI back together again. The frybread was great!
Our May gathering will be at Fort Quiatenon. We will have an informal gathering, snack on some traditional Michif food, and discuss the upcoming year's events. Hope to see you there.
Tansha all, I have been unable to access the webpage for several weeks but it looks like the problem has been fixed! So here's an update... June we had a small get together at Fort Quiatenon to celebrate our 5th year. In July we had the honor of attending one of our citizens daughter's wedding. There was the appropriate number of ribbon shirts and sashes in attendance!
Our Aug. meeting will be in conjunction with the A.I.C. pow-wow in Lebanon, Indiana. Hope to see everyone there.
The evening of Sept. 27th we gathered and held our Feast of the Dead Ceremony. It was a very pleasant evening and many good thoughts and prayers were shared. Miigwich to all who came.
Our Oct. gathering will be held in conjunction with the Feast of the Hunter's Moon. All those interested in hooking up and attending the Feast together on Sat. the 4th let us know. Well will probably meet at the West gate at noon. As usual there will be good food, good music and lots of interesting things to see.
In Nov. we will come together and celebrate the Green Corn festable. The tentative date is Nov. 29th. If you can make it, or are interested in coming give us a shout for more details.
As winter comes back it is time to rest. Look in on your Elders this winter and watch your children play. We will come back together in the Spring.
Tawnshi one and all, another winter is beginning to fade away. Our first gathering for the year will be in conjunction with the AIC's Spring Pow-wow in Lebanon, Ind. The dates this year are April 25th and 26th. Hope to see everyone there and that you have had a great winter!
Our May gathering will be May 1st. in conjunction with the Fort Harrison program celebrating the traveling Viet-Nam wall. We will be taking part in some of the ceremonies. For more information you can contact us at our web-site.
Hey-hey, winter is finally over! Spring has arrived and it's time to celebrate MNI/MNA founding. This was our 6th year anniversary . We celebrate at Fort Quiatenon where our flags were flying and the music was playing, and as they say a good time was had by all!
Our July gathering was at Mike's over the 4th weekend. There was LOTS of food, sa-mores, a few traditional dishes and fireworks everywhere you looked. A big miigwich to Mike for hosting this year.
Our Aug. gathering was in conjunction with the A.I.C. pow-wow located in Lebanon, In. Several members made it this year and it was good to see so many friends.
Due to the number of citizens who had other commitments in Sept. we had a small meeting at a local restaurant in Lafayette, In. (our food is better!)
Our Oct. gathering this year (2015) will be to celebrate our Feast of the Dead ceremony. For information concerning the times and date, or if you have any questions, please contact us at our website.
Our Nov. and Dec. gatherings were held in conjunction with the A.I.C. in Lebanon, Ind.
It's always good to see old friends and make new ones.
Winter is time to rest. Our Jan.- March gatherings will be in conjunction with the A.I.C. in Lebanon, In. Stay warm and check in on your Elders to make sure they are doing Ok this winter.
In April we met at the Lebanon, Indiana Pow-wow. It was good to see everyone come together again!
Our May gathering will be on May 14th at our Chief's house for lunch and to discuss the upcoming year. If anyone has any thoughts, concerns, new ideas or something they would like to see happen... let's talk! As always visitors welcome!
Our June gathering was the 26th at Ft. Quotation, Tippecanoe County to celebrate our 7th year. We fired up the frill and had some pretty good food. We played a few games with the kids and Grand kids, and of course enjoyed listening to some good ol Metis, toe-tapping music, along with some drum music from Turtle Mountain Rez., as we played a Metis song of long ago that was gifted to the Metis from the Chippewa.
Our July gathering will be the third Sunday on the 17th in Lebanon, In. We will be meeting up with all our friends while attending the American Indian Council's July picnic. Hope to see you there.
Our Aug. gathering will also be with the American Indian Council during their 34th Annual Pow-wow located at the Boone County Fairgrounds. Stop by and say hello, enjoy all the sights and sounds, visit with the Traders and of course listen to the drum!
Our Sept. gathering is going to be a canoe trip down the Tippecanoe River. We'll stop at "Goose Poop Island" (yes, that's how it got its name) for a picnic lunch... on the clean side of the island. We will be leaving Hodge's canoe rental around 10:00 a.m. on Sat. Sept. 10th, 2016. If you like the outdoors, canoeing, watching wildlife...etc. come join us... it's usually a pretty fun trip.
Migwich to all who joined us at the Feast of the Hunter's Moon at Fort Ouiatenon in Tippecanoe County. We met at the Voyageur's Village at high noon!
As usual there were Metis from all over North America to join in the festivities. Watch the canoe races, enjoy some home made food you can't get anywhere else, and of course... enjoyed the "Feast."
This Oct. honored our relatives who have crossed over by conducting our Feast of the Dead Ceremony. This year it was held on Saturday evening Oct. 23rd. Migwich to all those who came and helped us celebrate.
Our Nov. gathering will be Friday, Nov. 25th, 2016. Not all of our people celebrate "Thanksgiving" as we know why it was held and what it represented. The slaughter of our ancestors/relatives is not to be celebrated. Instead we will once again be celebrating our Fall Festival, or our Fall Green Corn festival/celebration.
Again, if you would like more information please contact us at our website.
May, 2017. We have been contacted by some of our Citizens and asked if we were going to continue our gatherings, and if so would we continue to publish events on this site. While we do not meet as often as we use to, nor is there as many who use to attend, but we do still gather on occasions, mostly, but not always, to do traditional Ceremony at the appropriate times.
May, 29th we had an informal gathering/picnic to catch up on this past winters events and see how everyone is doing.
June 3rd we were at Fort Quotation to celebrate the 300th year of the Fort, and the 50th year of the Tippecanoe County Historical Society's celebration of the "Feast of the Hunter's Moon."
July we gathered to celebrate/honor those Metis who have served in the U.S./Canadian military.
This month (July) we would like to welcome a new Band to the Metis Nation of America (MNA). Beginning this month we have a new family band located in South Dakota.
Congratulations to all as we continue to grow our friends, family and citizens.
Welcome to MNSD!
Aug. we met in conjunction with the A.I.C. Pow-wow located in Lebanon, Indiana.
It is always good to see old friends and meet new people. The Drums were great and so was the fry bread!
Sept. we will gather to conduct our Feast of the Dead Ceremony. It is was a small gathering held at Fort Quatanon.
Oct. a few of us got together to discuss if we wanted to have a Green Corn Festival this year. Even though there will only be a few participants those there agreed to get together.
Nov. The last Sat. in Nov. we will gather to celebrate the Green Corn Festival. We do this to honor the Ancestors, to remember the old Ceremonies, but it is also our "Thanksgiving" as we do not celebrate traditional "American" Thanksgiving and what all it represents and in their celebration of what they did (do) to Native peoples.
This will probably be our last gathering of the year as we prepare for the coming of winter and get caught up on things that need to done at home. Remember to check in on your Elders to make sure they have food and blankets for the cold months ahead.
Tawnshi to one and all. Spring will soon be here and time for gatherings and activities to begin again. Our first Spring get-together was at the A.I.C. Pow-wow held in Lebanon, Indiana April 7 & 8th, 2018. It was good to see old friends, dance and enjoy good food.
Hope all are doing well and you had a good winter.
May 26th we will meet up at one of our citizens house for a quite get-together. Bring something to share. If you are interested in coming give a shout.
See you there.
June 16th we will be meeting at Fort Quotation to celebrate our founding. As always, if you are interested in joining us give us a shout. Contact us at [email protected].
July we will be gathering for a canoe trip down the Tippecanoe River with a stop at Goose Poop Island for lunch. Want to join us? Give us a shout!
The Aug. gathering/meeting coincided with the American Indiana Council's Pow-wow located in Lebanon, Indiana Aug. 18th & 19th.
The Sept. gathering will be held at Ft. Quotation, South River Rd. West Lafayette, Ind. where we will hold or annual Feast of the Dead Ceremony.
Our Oct./Nov. gathering will be the first weekend of Nov. We will meet around sundown, build a fire and We'll talk about how everyone's summer went, plans for next years, new ideas and anything else anyone would like to ask or bring up. This will be our last gathering for this year as we prepare for winter. As always check on your Elders and enjoy the things to come. We'll see everything in the Spring and blessings to all.
As usual if you have any questions you can reach us at our website at:
[email protected].
Hope to see you there.
May you bless and be blessed.
Greetings to one and all. We hope you had good winter and everyone is safe. We will have our first get-together at the Lebanon, In. Pow-wow the first weekend in April, 2019 of course. Hopefully there will be some good fry bread and we can get together and share what happened over the winter months.
It was good to see all those who made it and find everyone is doing well.
Our May gathering will be an informal meeting with no specific agenda. It may last a half an hour it may last all afternoon... just depends on how gabby everyone is!
Our June gathering will be Saturday June 8th, come help us celebrate our founding. There will be Drum music and of course toe tapping fiddle music. It will begin at 1:00 at Ft. Quotanon south of West Lafayette, Ind. The menu has not been decided yet. If you have any suggestion/request let us know! Hope to see you there.
As you know due to the severe flooding of the grounds the June gathering was canceled.
As always, May You Bless and Be Blessed.
Our July gathering will be held in conjunction the A.I.C. annual summer picnic in Lebanon, In.
Our Aug. gathering will also be in Lebanon at the Summer Pow-wow they hold their County Fairgrounds. Look for the flag!
Our Sept. gathering looks like it will be held in the evening at the Fort Quotanon facilities in Tippecanoe County, In.
October we will meet up Sat. at noon at the Block House at the Feast of the Hunter's Moon in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.
Also, with this heat please keep an eye on any Elders you might know. If they don't have a fan don't ask them if they want one "bring them one."
Nov. 1st. and I went from asking everyone to keep an eye on your Elders because of the heat to watching the snow falling last night with 40 mph winds.
It's time of the year again when we prepare for winter months as they approach. Again, keep an eye on your Elders, make sure they are alright. As we take our winter break stay safe and keep warm. See you in the spring.
Apparently the Coronavirus is much harder on the Elderly, and is spreading throughout the Elderly community, faster than anywhere else. Grocery stores are on the verge of being plundered by hoarders. If you know of any Elders please stop by, or call, or text...etc. to see they are in need of any particular food items. (or anything else)
May you Bless and Be Blessed
[UP DATE] Here it is the first of Aug. Who would have ever guessed things would have gotten as bad as they have. Sorry to say there will be no gatherings this Fall, except for perhaps family gatherings, and hopefully by the end of the year a vaccine will be available and things will begin to return to normal.
Tanwshi, the first week of March, 2021. Its been almost a year and we find that the Coronavirus still has the U.S. in its grip. Social gathering are still discouraged and for the safety of all, esp. our Elders, we did not have any large gatherings this past year. Speaking of Elders...remember to check on them. Call them, email them, even consider writing someone a letter. Also, remember, that the circumstances today are causing great financial hardships for some and that they may have lost their internet connection or phone capabilities...etc. Don't be afraid to knock on an Elders, or neighbors door, and, while maintaining your distance, ask if all is well and if they need anything.
Hopefully this Summer/Fall things will return to normal. Remember to send smoke up as often as you feel the need. Stay safe and have patience.
Tawnshi one and all. Here it is the end of May and things are beginning to look up? The Covid numbers are going down in spite of those who ignore precautions. It os with a heavy heart that I remember those who did not make it through the winter or the epidemic. I will miss them as I remember them in my prayers.
The frost is now behind us, days are getting warmer and it is time to plant your garden or perhaps a flower. If you can you should plant something. Hopefully summer picnics/gatherings can resume and we are hoping this Fall we can gather for ceremonies. There are many Elders who have lung issues, difficulty breathing or immune systems who are not as good as they use to be. We can wait. We are not going to push it, at least in our area, as we want our Elders (and our children) to be with us as long as possible.
I hope all is going well for everyone and glad to see things improving. Count your blessings, be grateful for what you have and remember others in your prayers.
June has arrived in full force. We had a small lunch/picnic at "The Fort." the first of June. A small gathering of 5 but at least it was a gathering! Back to the weather... the heat is reaching dangerous levels for some. Please remember to check on your Elders or those with small children. If they need help "help them." Don't forget pets/animals.
Tawnshi One & All,
This summer has been a bad on. There was really nothing to say/report concerning July. We had considered getting together in Aug. at the Lebanon, Ind. pow-wow but it was simply too hot for many of our citizens. I was looking forward to the our annual Feast of the Dead Ceremony but it appears Covid 19 is coming back and may be worse than the first time. The Feast of the Dead is usually around the time of the Autumnal Equinox, which is coming up a in about 3 weeks, having said that there is 2 things I am considering. 1.) It is still hot and mersible out and Ceremony is not meant to be an unpleasant gathering. 2.) It is close to the time that the Tippecanoe is holding it's Feast of the Hunter's Moon fundraiser and as such they tend to not allow anyone else on the grounds. Also, there is no hard and fast rule that the Ceremony has to be on/near the equinox.
Instead of the 3rd week in Sept. I am considering the 3rd week in Oct. Thye Feast of the Hunter's Moon will be done and over with and it will (hopefully!) be much cooler out. The Ceremony starts at sunset.
The Feast of the Dead will be held at Fort Ouiatenon just south of West Lafayette, IN. For more information feel free to contact us.
I hope everyone is doing well, stay safe and if you have not gotten a covid vaccine please consider doing so. I know a Grandmother who refused to get vaccinated because she already had it, felt she could not get it again and could not give it to others. She took her Granddaughter to her first day of 1st grade on monday, on wednesday the little girl went to the hospital, she died on friday. Everyone was tested, only the Grandmother tested positive. She said she didn't know she could get it or give it. True, she could have gotten it at school but a week and a half later no one else has gotten sick.
Remember to check on others.
Nov. is only a few days away. The time really does fly. Here is an update as to what is, or is not, going on. We were going to try and do the Feast of the Dead Ceremony this Sat. at Ft. Quotation but they are calling for rain pretty much all weekend. Nov. is the Green Corn Festival, and of course in Dec. we celebrate the Winter Solstice.
Please remember our/your ancestors and perhaps do a little something this weekend.
The end of Dec. and a new year approaches....
Tawnshi One and All,
For those of you who do not celebrate the christian holiday of those who celebrate the slaughter of our ancestors remember it is time to celebrate the Winter Sulstrus. Soon the days will begin to get a little longer and Spring is not that far away.
But until the warm weather has returned remember to check on your Elders, make sure they are alright and are staying warm through the winter months.
May You Bless and Be Blessed.
Chief.
July 11, 2022
Wow, Finally! Apparently my old computer no longer works to access this account. While it works fine for other things it didn't like to be here. Not being computer literate I ended up having to get a new computer that ran Windows 10. Hopefully the problem has been fixed.
Ok, so what's new? Well, not a whole lot. As far as I know all of our citizens are alive and well. As far as Coved goes it was beginning to look like we were on the mend until Amacrom (?) showed up. They are saying this Fall it is going to come roaring back, but the good news is, if you have been vaccinated and boosted and you get it then you will only feel bad for a day or two and then back to normal.
On a sad note the Tippecanoe County Historical Association threw the Wea out of the Feast of the Hunters Moon and replaced them with the Miami of Oklahoma. Some how, some way, the Miami convinced TCHA that they did not like the way the Wea represented the Miami people of this area at the Feast, and that TCHA should only have Natives who have been recognized by the federal gov't. Well, the Wea were not representing the Miami, the Wea were representing the Wea.
When the Fort was built around 1717(?) the Miami were in the process of moving from the Green Bay area to NE Ohio around Toledo. I guess every one has forgotten the fort is named Quiatenon after the Wea, not Fort Miami. But when the Miami did move to Southern Ohio the Wea were here to welcome them.
To me it is sad that one tribe has turned against another. It's as if they are doing the government's job for them to eradicate as many Natives as possible. I for one will no longer be attending the Feast of the Hunter's Moon. The Miami should be ashamed.
Ok, time to get off the soap box. The first of July and the worst days of summer are still on the way. Remember, check on the Elderly or families not doing so well. If they don't have a fan just get them one. I think Amazon will deliver t to their door for 12 bucks?
AND... for those who wish to get together we will be at the Abner Longley park in Lebanon, IN. with the American Indian Council for their annual summer picnic. I think you can even bring your dog! I think it is July 17th around noon... and it's free.
Sept. 9, 2023
It's been a while. Covid did a number on us. Communications, gatherings, Ceremony...etc. pretty much came to a standstill. This summer has been a hot one and I hope everyone did Ok. The forecasters are saying this coming winter will be colder and snowier than average but not by much, but then again we all know how well predictions can go. Here's hoping for a normal to mild winter.
This year, on Oct. 14th at Fort Quiatenon, I will be doing our Feast of the Dead Ceremony. The Feast of the Hunter's Moon is the weekend of the 7th, so hopefully they will all be gone and everything will be back to normal. If you plan on attending, the Ceremony starts at sundown, let me know so I know how much food to bring.
March 18, 2024
Sorry to say there is nothing new to report. Several of our members were older and between covid and simply getting older there has not been very much activity.
But we will continue to "hang in there." Who knows what the future will hold.
Remember to check in on your Elders and help them when and how you can.
Spring is just around the corner. Try to plant something, anything.
As always thanks to all those who help and make this possible.
May You Bless and Be Blessed.
Chief
Nov. 14, 20204
Again, its been awhile. I ran across this yesterday and thought I'd share with everyone. Hope all is well in your camp.
The older Elders, not the younger ones in their 50 and 60, seem to say the same thing no matter what their tribal affiliation. They realize their lives were centered around love, respect and caring, but they learned there is a little more to it than that. Sure when you were little you loved your Grandma, your Mom, your Aunties, and as you got older you respected them, and as they got even older you cared for them. And of course you loved your wife and your children, and you cared about them, and for them as well.
Before the Europeans came Tribes were mainly hunters and gatherers, many were farmers, and if your main diet was that of deer and corn,and you cared about the deer population, you respected them, you didn't over hunt them, and you learned that they feed your Grandparents, they your children, and all your loved ones. You respected those animals because you knew what they meant to you and what they did for you; this you learned early on, but when you got older, a lot older, you began to look at them in a different way and not just as food. You also learned it is wrong to think that animals only do what they do just because because of instinct.
Also when you were young you cared about corn, you watched it, you nourished it. Kept bugs away that would destroy it, and watered it when it did not rain. At the same time when deer, or any kind of animal meat made up most of your diet, you cared about it too. If you didn't care... it could mean your survival. They say we are all only a few paychecks away from being homeless. If this happens and you go hungry a few times you begin to see food in a different manner. Our ancestors knew this.
As you get older you begin to see how this applies to many other things. It's not just the fish, it's also the water they swim in. If you grow a garden,(and you should, even if it's only one plant), you learn insects also eat other plants and not just yours, so you respect those other plants and you care that they grow. Eventually you begin to learn/see the big picture. And it dawns on you that it's true what the Elders say... we really are all related. And eventually you learn that maybe keeping “all” the corn for yourself might not be such a good thing after all, maybe it's ok to plant an extra row or two for the deer people. You might even find that corn fed deer are bigger and have more meat than ones that only eat thistles.
So when your son or daughter, or perhaps Grandchildren, say to you "I know we don't kill all the deer because then there wouldn't be any left, but you want me to grow corn for them?" That's when you smile and say to them... come to my lodge this evening and we'll smoke and let me share with you things I have learned.
May you Bless and Be Blessed.
