Midnight Sun Powwow’s Web Blog (www.midnightsunpowwow.net)

Walking Hawk Drum will be the host drum for The Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow

Greetings Maskokvlke,

I am the National Coordinator for this year’s Mississippi River
Sacred Sites Run located out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We are in our
second year of a five year project.
Because we are starting from Marksville, Louisiana it is with our
utmost respect for the traditions of our people that we inform you,
and other interested parties within the Muscogee Nation, of our
intent.

I am considered a Muscogee Creek Indian fullblood from the Quarsartte
Tribal Town in Oklahoma. I am Tiger clan and son of Wind clan
(Father from the Tokabutchee Tribal Town).
Our history in the South and East makes us all relatives, perhaps by
blood much closer than the people of the North considering the
ancient ties to all Indigenous people.
Last year, Second Chief Berryhill sent us a Muscogee Nation Flag to
fly at all our gatherings. We did with pride even though it was one
sided and kind of small compared to other Tribal Nation’s Flag. I
thank Mr. Berryhill for that kind donation.

Please help our efforts in any possible way. We humble acknowledge
a place that when we are in that area, the Eagle Staff we carry will
then be under the protection of that community until we enter another
area.

I will link our website in this notice for your convience. There you
will find more information about our project.

Mvto,
Ben Yahola
Kotchvhomvte

Below is the general outline of the Mississippi River Sacred Sites
Run 2007

Check our website for updates; http://www.nativeearthkeepers.com
A detailed schedule will be posted ASAP

We are documenting the entire 5 year project. Get a short view of
some of what will be on the documentary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmVkuXlktEk&mode=related&search=
From Klayjar Productions site there are other videos of Menominee
Nations sacred sites runners and the Menominee Nation’s Tribal
Historical Preservation Officer, David Greno explains why their
participation is important at their annual powwow at Keshena, WI and
a video at the Milwaukee Indian Summer Festival, where we ended the
run last September.
The Ho-Chunk Nation’s Native Cruzers will once again make this event
a truly eductional one for all the young marathon runners. Last year
they traveled with the Ho-Chunk Nation Archeologist Jay Toth (Seneca
Nation) who explained the history and their connection to many sites
they visited.

Dates and locations according to the Sun. The actual dates will be
posted or I’ll send it later upon request.

The Mississippi River Sacred Sites Run 2007 starts the morning of the
Vernal Equinox March 20, 2007 in Marksville, Louisiana
.

The Summer Solstice June 21, 2007 Sunrise Gathering will be at Effigy
Mounds National Monument at Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
.

From there the MRSSR will travel through the Twin Cities ancient
Indigenous places
http://www.fromsitetostory.org/tcm/21ra0010indianmp/21ra0010indianmp.a
sp ,

to Northern Minnesota following the Mississippi River to Hassman, MN,
then East to Spirit Mountain near Duluth, MN.
http://www.treatycouncil.org/SpiritMountainCaseStudyFinal1.pdf .

From there the run travels Southward, perhaps through LCO Reservation
in Hayward, WI,

to Rice Lake, WI

through many sites around Madison <
http://www.library.wisc.edu/etext/WIReader/Galleries/First.html>

to Milwaukee, WI.
< http://www.gregpostles.com/lakepark/lakeparkmound.htm>,

ending on the morning of the Fall Equinox.

We will participate with other organizations into October. We hope
to have a run in the Genoa City,WI area and at UW Plattville. At
Lake Geneva, WI plans are under way for a walk or run. The city has
several mounds that are unnamed. Wilmette, IL North of Chicago, IL
may have an event <
http://www.wilmette.com/whpc/historyofwilmette.htm>. We were invited
to other areas in Illinois. Zion, IL has sacred places.

The Indian Summer Festival of Milwaukee hosted the SSR 2006 and this
year we hope to be included as well. http://www.indiansummer.org/

We have for sale, Sacred Sites Run T-Shirts (Eagle Dancer Motif 1250
AD) on the front and also replicas of our early art work from 500-
1200 AD (Gorgets from Spiro, Mississippi Valley, and Ohio Valley).
These help pay the cost of gas, food and camping sites and printing.
Call or email for orders. I will send those interested jpeg photos.

Thank you and lets keep up the spirit of wellness and health for our
communities.
Ben Yahola
414-383-7072

Festival of Native Arts Flyer

Greetings,

The Festival of Native Arts Student Planning Committee would like to
invite you to the 2nd Annual Benefit for the Festival of Native Arts
featuring Tezkatlipoka Danza Azteca on February 24 & 25, 2007. The two
performances will serve as a benefit for the continuation of the annual
Festival of Native Arts. Admission will be $25.00 per adult, $20.00 with
UAF I.D., and $15.00 per child. Tickets for Tezkatlipoka Danza Azteca are
available at the UAF Wood Center, Hoitt’s Underground Sounds, and at the
door. (Please see attached flyer)

Tezkatlipoka Aztec Dance was formed in 1988, to reclaim indigenous ways of
life, and in an effort to preserve the sacred dances of the Mexica (the
Aztec people). The ceremonial dances have been in existence for thousands
of years. There is still a large Indigenous presence in what is present
day Mexico and Central America, and Tezkatlipoka strives to educate the
public on the great history of the Aztec people. The traditional Aztec
dance headdress with colorful plumage, beautiful hand-carved drums, rattle
anklets and copal tree-resin incense, along with the enthralling dances
and powerful drumming style of Aztec percussion will delight all
audiences.

The Festival of Native Arts Cultural Exchange Program coincides with the
annual benefit. This exchange was designed to involve the local
school-aged children to learn about new and exciting cultures.
Tezkatlipoka will perform schools presentations, through its array of
tribal music, songs, dance, values, and handcrafted attire will bring to
life this rich Indigenous culture, and history for students throughout the
school district.

The Festival of Native Arts had been actively searching for new
opportunities to fundraise for the annual event. In the spirit of
cultural expression and sharing with others, the festival’s Student
Planning Committee proposed to host this cultural exchange to reach the
fundraising goals of the organization and introduce other indigenous
cultures to the Fairbanks community.

For more information, please contact the Festival of Native Arts offices
at (907)474-6889 or festival@uaf.edu. Visit our website at
http://www.uaf.edu/festival.

Festival of Native Arts
305 Brooks Building
P.O. Box 756300
Fairbanks, AK 99775
Ph: (907) 474-6889
Fax: (907) 474-5666
E-mail: festival@uaf.edu

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