PAUGUSETT POW WOW

Uncasville, Connecticut, Saturday April 18, 2009----It was a beautiful sunny morning in the sixties (60's). A perfect day for a ride in a convertible.

I called the Editor of Feather News and said to him, let's go to the Paugusett Pow Wow. He gets the directions and called another tribal member to see if she wanted to go too. We meet and head to the pow wow with the top down, but not before all three of us put baseball caps on our heads.

Up Route 2 to exit 18 and we turn west to Haddam. We turn on a back road travel about two miles and end up at an bridge across a lake. There was sign for the pow wow on the swinging gate leading into the parking lot.

We paid our $3.00 each to see the pow wow. The pow wow was actually over the top of a ball field, complete with the bases still in place. The ball field was surrounded by trees, complete with a locked out house. To the west was the lake, quite tranquil. It was a great place for a pow wow. I thought, it must have been like this in the old days at the Mohegan Church.

There was about a total of about 120 people in attendance, that includes the vendors, the dancers, drummers and visitors. The one drum group of four first people (Native Americans) were excellent. When the drummers took a break later in the day a flutist played. It was quite moving. The simplicity of the musicians and the atmosphere were quite fitting for the environment. It all came together. It was natural.

The grand entry was scheduled for 12:00 P.M. (noon). It happened at about 1:30 P.M. As one (1) first people said we never wore watches in the old days. Indian time.

The dancers were dancing to the different dances. At one time there was about 40 participants dancing in the roped off circle in the middle of the field. . The dancers put their hearts into their dancing. They were one with Mother Earth. Some dancers danced every dance they could. I don't know where they got the energy. They seemed to love it. It was wonderful. No competitions, just people participating in their heritage. It was moving.

We saw Joey James there, with his tent. He said, he had heard that things were happening to me. I said someday, I would explain it to him. It was good to see him. I asked how the Mohegan Wigwam Committee went the other week. He said he missed me. I said, I would like to have been there. I really liked working on that committee. As always his crafts, that he not only sells but makes, were of the finest quality. It was good to see him. One of my companions bought a brown swede vest. Joey James gave her a discount. She looked good in it.

The craft venders, had all native American goods. Only one vendor had some stuff from China. It was good to see. All the items being sold were wonderful quality. I bought two (2) ribbon shirts. I wanted to contribute. These people sure were not making a fortune at the gate.

There was only one (1) food vendor. She was a Masaphee Wampanoag. The food was good. We had the Indian Tacos, the fried bread and two strawberry iced teas. Everything was good.

After sitting on the grass for several hours, we decided to leave. It was a good day for the three Mohegans in our group and the one Mohegan who was there working to make it all work. We put the top up on the convertible. As we drove off, heading back to Uncasville, Connecticut, I thought how it had been a great day.

A good day for Mohegans. A great day for the Paugustts. I hope someday the Paugusetts get Federal recognition. What do you think?