Otoe-Missouria News Archive

by Will Chavez

Robert Murray is a traditional dancer and has been headman dancer for two of the tribes he belongs to – Otoe-Missouri and Iowa. He is also half Ponca, and is proud of all three tribes and celebrates and shares the culture of each one. He hoop dances and performs the Eagle dance, and at 51 years old, still “fancy dances every once in a while.” This dance is usually reserved for younger powwow dancers.

He first danced in a powwow arena when he was 19 months old at a Ponca powwow. He said he has danced every year since then except for a total of three years, when he stopped dancing to observe deaths in his family. “I’ve been in that arena for a long time,” he said. He also has been singing with the powwow drum group Yellowhammer for nearly 17 years. The group travels to powwows throughout the country, he said. He also finds time to sing with the Zotigh drum group.

» Read the complete article on NativeTimes.com.

John Butler has been named as the head singer for this year’s annual Standing Bear Powwow. John is the son of Mary (Littlewalker) Butler and the late Fredrick Butler. He is Otoe, Kaw, and Ponca. John graduated from Oologah High School in 1994, and is planning to graduate next year with a degree in Computer Science.

John began dancing at a young age and is an accomplished straight dancer. He also started the Yellow Spotted Horse drum group in 1993. The group was comprised of many young men and women from the Otoe, Ponca, Pawnee, Osage, and Kaw tribes. He also works with the Native American Student Association at Rogers State University in Claremore.

Other members of this year’s head staff are: Anthony KillsCrow and Oliver LittleCook — Masters of Ceremonies, Willie Beard — Head Man Dancer, Jenny Rush-Buffalohead — Head Lady Dancer, John Star Bighorse and K.C. Bills — Arena Directors, Roy Childs — Water Carrier, Red Rock Creek Gourd Dancers — Host Gourd Dancers, Pawnee Indian Veterans — Color Guard, and Jewell Inez Horinek — Outgoing Princess.

The powwow starts on Friday and continues through Saturday with grand entries at 7 each evening. The event, which is held at Standing Bear Park, is free, open to the public and funded in part by the Oklahoma Arts Council.

» Originally published in the Ponca City News.

The Otoe-Missouria tribal powwow grounds is the scheduled location this Sunday (Mothers Day) for an afternoon and evening benefit dance sponsored by the Otoe-Missouria Encampment Committee.

The committee invites all dancers, clubs and organizations to come join in gourd dancing, war dancing and dance contests as they get ready for their upcoming annual Encampment set for July 16-19.

The afternoon program opens with Gourd Dance at 2 p.m. followed by supper at 5 p.m. served by the Elk Clan Guys. Gourd dancing resumes at 6. The program changes over to War Dance at 7 p.m. with dance contests scheduled for Women’s Cloth, Men’s Straight, Traditional and Fancy categories, with junior girls and boys each in combined categories.

Head staff includes: Rock Pipestem as Head Singer; Mike Childs as Head Gourd Dancer; Joe Jones and Danielle Smallwood as Head Dancers; Leroy Enloe as Arena Director; John Shotton as Master of Ceremonies; and Roy Childs III as Water Boy. Tashina Littlecook, the 2008-09 Otoe-Missouria Princess will also be in attendance.

» Originally published in the Ponca City News.

The Otoe-Missouria Cultural Center at tribal headquarters is the location this Good Friday for an afternoon and evening benefit dance sponsored by the Otoe-Missouria Encampment Committee.

The committee invites all dancers, clubs and organizations to come join in gourd dancing, war dancing and dance contests this Friday as they get ready for their upcoming annual Encampment set for July 16-19. The afternoon program opens with Gourd Dance at 3 p.m. followed by supper at 5:30 served by the Elk Clan Guys. Gourd dancing resumes at 6:30. The program changes over to War Dance at 7:30 p.m. with dance contests scheduled for Women’s Cloth, Men’s Straight, Jr. Boys combined and Jr. Girls combined.

Head staff includes: Leonard Cozad, Jr. as Head Singer; Lorenzo “Bo” Beard as Head Gourd Dancer, Henry Hunter and Danielle Smallwood as Head Dancers; Clint Bible and Robert Murray, Jr. as Arena Directors; Jim Grant as Master of Ceremonies; and Roy Childs III as Water Boy. Tashina Littlecook, the 2008-09 Otoe-Missouria Princess will also be in attendance. Co-hosts are the Otoe Veterans.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.

Northeastern State University senior Sonny Skye Hawk won first place in the Men’s Grass Dance contest during the Fourth of July Northern Cheyenne Chiefs Powwow in Lame Deer, Montana. One of the most difficult of all contest dances, the men’s grass dance originated in the northern plains. Grass dancers dance and move in rhythm with the beat of the drum, mimicking the long prairie grass blowing in the wind…

Hawk is senior at NSU majoring in cellular biology. He is the president-elect of the NSU Chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and is currently employed as a student staff assistant at the NSU Center for Tribal Studies. His tribal affiliations are Standing Rock Sioux (Lakota), Otoe-Missouria, and Loyal Shawnee. He is the son of Warren Hawk and Diane Alley, both of Tahlequah.

» Read the complete article on Native Times.com.

The Otoe-Missouria Encampment grounds in Red Rock is the scheduled site of a benefit Gourd Dance and War Dance set for 2 p.m. Saturday. The fundraiser dance is sponsored by the Encampment committee in support of the annual tribal gathering to be held July 17-20.

Head staff for the benefit include: Tim Grant, head singer; Eric Payne, head gourd dancer; Gideon GoodEagle, head man dancer; and Veronica Pipestem, head lady dancer. Other head staff include: George Alexander, emcee; Chiefy Roy, arena director; and Jadion Roubedeaux, water boy. Tribal goodwill ambassador Elsie Rose Whitehorn, the 2007-2008 Otoe-Missouria tribal princess, also plans to attend.

Gourd dancing begins at 2 p.m. followed by supper at 5:30. Gourd dancing will resume at 6:30, with the War Dance commencing at 7:30. Dance contests in Junior and Adult categories are scheduled. The committee invites all gourd dancers and war dancers to participate.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.

The Otoe-Missouria Encampment grounds is the planned site for a benefit Gourd Dance and War Dance set to begin 2 p.m. Sunday. Proceeds will help defray expenses for the annual Otoe-Missouria Encampment on July 17-20.

Head staff for the benefit include: Jade Roubedeaux, head singer; John Shotton, head gourd dancer; Otto Hamilton, head man dancer; and, Dena Reveles, head lady dancer. Other head staff include: Don Patterson, emcee; Stanley Smith, arena director; and, Terrance Atkins, water carrier. Tribal goodwill ambassador Elsie Whitehorn, the 2007-2008 Otoe-Missouria tribal princess, also plans to attend.

The program will begin with Gourd Dance at 2 p.m. followed by supper at 5:30. The Gourd Dance will resume at 6:30, with the War Dance commencing at 7:30. Two all ages dance contests are scheduled: Women’s Cloth and Buckskin; and, Men’s Straight and Traditional. The committee invites all Gourd Dance clans and societies to participate.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.

Native American traditions live on in this tribal community as members gather from across the country for the 126th Otoe-Missouria Encampment which begins Thursday. Sufficiently recovered from recent flooding, the tribal encampment grounds will again host hundreds of campers, dancers and visitors, continuing a long tribal tradition dating to the tribe’s first days after being relocated to Indian Territory.

The Otoe-Missouria Encampment Committee has planned four full days of activities — July 19-22. Each evening will feature a different program of dance contests, with the new tribal princess crowned Thursday. Gourd dancing and specials will take place beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

The Otoe Olympic Games for children will take place beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. Other events will include turtle races, foot races, horseshoe tournament and a 5-on-5 basketball tournament.

Powwow officials include Oliver Littlecook and Michael Burgess, masters of ceremonies; John Arkeketa, head singer; Lewis Dent, head gourd dancer; Michael Plumley, head man dancer; Salina NoEar Todome, head lady singer; Michael Whitecloud and Randy Moore, arena directors; and, by invitation, Otoe War Mothers, Red Rock Creek, Kiowa Gourd Clan, Black Bear Descendants and Ponca Gourd Dance Society. Miles Hall and Wilber Enloe will be water boys.

The powwow is free and the public is invited to attend. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs. Food and other vendors will be available.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.

Continuing a long tradition, the Otoe Elo’ska Kigo’nye will hold its ceremonial Elo’ska Tail Dance on Saturday, Dec. 23 in Red Rock at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Center.

A full day of activities is scheduled beginning at 2 p.m. with the first session of the Elo’ska Tail Dance. Supper will be served to all in attendance at 5 p.m. with the second session of tail dancing commencing at 6 p.m. A special Christmas program will follow with Santa Claus and helpers making a visit. All tribal members, neighboring tribes and the public are invited to attend.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe’s 125th Annual Encampment begins its four day run of traditional activities this evening at the tribal powwow grounds near Red Rock.

Tonight’s program starts at 6 p.m. with the Gourd Dance, followed by powwow dancing. Ceremonies to crown the new 2006-2007 tribal princess will also be conducted. Both afternoon and evening programs are scheduled for Friday through Sunday. All activities are open to the public, but visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs. The access road to the Encampment and powwow grounds is located at the entrance to the Seven Clans Paradise Casino, about 15 miles south of Ponca City on U.S. 177.

Originally published in the Ponca City News.