In the not-so-distant past, People from the different towns of many Nations would gather several times a year to announce new arrivals, marriages; share art, crafts and food; tell stories; play games; participate in ceremonies and dance. Come join us and share your stories, learn some ancestral skills, and have fun. If possible, dress traditional, if not, come anyway!

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October is time for the Cherokee New Year or the Great Full Moon Ceremony. A time to share our harvest.

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Friday - October 18

• 1:00pm Set up for tribal activities and work on the medicine wheel

 

Saturday – October 19

• 8:00am Council Meeting

• 9:00am Present the Colors

• 9:30am Sacred Fire – Give thanks to our Creator

• 10:00am Traditional Chickamauga Wedding

• 11:00am Meeting with Clan Mothers – Women’s Circle

• 11:00am Children’s tent

• 11:00am Men’s Circle

• 12:00pm Pot Luck Lunch -ancestral foods encouraged – Meat dish provided

• 1:00pm Auction

• 2:00pm Naming ceremonies – Warrior Names

• 3:00pm Games --- Drumming --- Dancing

• 5:00pm Pot Luck Supper – ancestral foods encouraged – Meat dish provided

• 6:00pm Retreat the colors

• 6:30pm Campfire – Dancing, Storytelling and Music all night

 

Sunday – October 20

• 10:00 Breakfast

• 11:00am Break camp and clean-up

 

Bring Lawn chairs and tent cover if desired. There are several locations for tent camping. Bathrooms and showers are available. Bring utensils and plates. Bring containers for left overs.

 

Times for events may change.

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Super 8 Hotel, Bolivar, MO is not far from our grounds. (417) 777-8888

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• Food Drive – Sponsored by the Warrior Society​

• October is the time to harvest our foods, to prepare for the winter

• The Warrior society is sponsoring a Food Drive to support the Southern Cherokee Food Bank

• Please bring non-perishable foods to donate to the food drive.

• The Southern Cherokee, located around Newburg, Missouri, serves food to around 200 families in need. Many are our Native brothers and sisters.​

• Help us to help others.

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Friendship Dance:

This dance, as indicated by its title, depicts friendship, peace and goodwill. It is usually performed for fun and entertainment at any time during the social dances.

People of all ages can find enjoyment in the Friendship Dance. It gives married couples a chance to express affection for their mate. Young courting couples can get

more acquainted. Singles can socialize, and possibly find a mate. The dance overall is for fun and relaxation.

 

The leader of the dance is followed by a woman who wears tortoise-shell leg

rattles. Everyone is grouped with their partners and forms a single-file circle, moving counter-clockwise. The steps alternate between an ordinary walk and the shuffling trot. After one or two complete rotations done in this manner, the dance will change as the second song starts.

 

The leader will perform certain gestures as the rest of the dancers in the circle imitate his movements. Each gesture will last for a complete rotation before changing, and may follow a sequence as given below:

 

1. Couples face their partners and hold hands.

2. Couples dance side by side, creating two circles, with the male to the left of the female. They then hold hands with their partner by crossing their arms.

3. Couples face each other as they touch palms or hold hands.

4. As they continue to face each other, couples place their hands on their partner's shoulders.

5. Couples dance side by side again with their arms on each other's shoulders.

6. Facing each other, couples touch and stroke their partners under the chin.

 

Other social and fun dances we may do:

Ant Dance; Common Dance; Quail Dance; Round Dance; Buffalo Dance

Games: Hand games; Cherokee marbles; Bunky

 

If you don’t know the dances or games, no worries. We will teach you!

 

Wado!

Headperson (Chief) Stephanie Jeffords – Tsisqua Tali