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Clan Of The Hawk Offers A Spiritual Weekend |
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Tuesday, 16 June 2009 |
Ralph Swett, also known as Chief Lone Cloud (right), and Little Tree stand next to a drum that was accepted into the Clan of The Hawk family over the weekend. (Photo by Christopher Roy)
By CHRISTOPHER ROY
Express Staff Writer
EVANSVILLE — Members of the Clan of the Hawk, a group of Native Americans based here, held a spiritual weekend at their property just off Route 58 last week.
More than 100 people visited the event on Saturday, but fewer people
showed up Sunday. The spiritual weekend, different from a powwow, is to
teach the heritage of Native Americans. A powwow is more of a social
gathering of Native Americans, said Ralph Swett, also known as Chief
Lone Cloud.
The weekend included having classes that reflect the Native American
culture. Last year the group held a spiritual weekend one week before
their summer powwow celebration. This year, however, the group decided
to have an extra one in the spring. They were hoping to get some groups
like school children. The event, like others put on by the group, was
free to the public.
Swett said Native Americans getting together is long tradition. Once,
events like the spiritual weekend, was used as a time to trade furs.
A man who goes by the name Little Tree added that the spiritual weekend
is a time to learn how to do cultural things like crafts and is a
reminder how they are to conduct themselves as considerate people.
Jim Sawyer of Morgan was at the spiritual weekend to teach about the
drums they use. He also conducted some of the religious ceremonies.“We try to get as many youths as possible,” said Sawyer, who said he believes more young people are interested in their Native American heritage now than they were 10 or 20 years ago. “More and more children are anxious to learn stuff.”
Sawyer said his grandchildren are always asking him questions about their culture. A lot, he says, depends on how the information is presented to them.
Part of Sunday’s events was the blessing of a drum that was given to the tribe by someone who passed away.
The drum had to be blessed because Native Americans believe anything made by hand has spirits.
“The wood is the tree represented, the skin represents the animal nation, and you have the person who made it,” explained Little Tree. “It’s a living being to us, and we must honor it.”
Part of honoring ceremony included renaming the drum because it has a new home in The Clan of Hawk family.
Swett said the drum will be part of the clan’s museum and will not be used.
For more information about the Clan of The Hawk, click to http://clanofthehawkinc.org/
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 17 June 2009 )
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