The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Focus

Media Credit: Ed Ryan Shane Long, a resident of Willimantic and member of Mohegan tribe, performed a dance in Gampel Pavilion Sunday afternoon to celebrate Native American dance and culture.

Those who attended UConn's 18th Annual Light the Lodge Powwow Sunday, sponsored by the Native American Cultural Society, were greeted with the rhythms of drumming and authentic Native American songs and chants. Gampel was lined with booths selling native crafts, homemade goods and food to celebration Native American culture.

The event started off with the honoring of the flags ceremony. Audience members rose from their seats while dozens of men and women dressed in powwow outfits came onto Gampel's floor and danced in a circle. Two men held the American flag and the Native American flag. The men and women dancing each wore unique regalia attire. Many had bells on their wrists and ankles that jingled to the beat of the music as they danced. Each piece of clothing and jewelry in the outfit means something to the person, said vendor, Bill Donehey who is also a member of Mohegan Sun's tribal council.

After the small ceremony took place, singers and drummers off to the side of the powwow circle began singing a traditional song dedicated to veterans. Veterans who may have been in the audience were encouraged to join others dancing in the circle.

The singing, drumming and dancing continued throughout festival while patrons made their way into the pavilion to get a glimpse of Native American culture.

Carolan Chanko, a 7th-semester English and political science major, came to the event because her Native American literature professor, Ted Van Alst, encouraged her to stop by. She said she recognized a lot of the artwork and symbols seen at the vendors' booths from class.

The craft vendors were selling a variety of goods, including paintings, moccasins, purses, jackets and jewelry.

One vendor, Keiko Moreino, who is part of the Pequot tribal council, sold several homemade goods such as necklaces, bracelets and dolls. She said she sells the dolls to many of the casinos. She makes them in memory of her daughter who died in a car accident at age 17. The money she receives from the cornhusk dolls goes to a scholarship fund in her daughter's name.

"You know, back in the day, they had no Mattel," Moreino said, who makes each individual doll differently. Each one has its own name and own background story written on a card attached to the doll. Moreino said the dolls take her only a few minutes to make.

Jessica Mihaleas, a 4th semester English major, enjoyed the event. Her professor, Van Alst, had been talking about the event all semester. She said it was interesting to see everything the class was learning about actually performed in front of her.

"It's nice to see the powwow in person rather than on screen," Mihaleas said, referring movies her class has watched.

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