Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Have fun and learn more about the country's Native American heritage this weekend by attending "Land of Lakes, Gathering of the People," a traditional Native American Pow Wow.
Scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Kosciusko County fairgrounds, the Pow Wow will be the first of its kind in the area. Organizers hope it also will be the beginning of a long tradition.
"If it's a success, which I think it will be unless the weather gets us, it will be an ongoing project," said Tom Maze, chairman of the committee in charge of the project.
Gates will open Saturday morning, with admission costing $5 for a two-day pass, $3 for a one-day pass.
Children under age 6 will be admitted free; children between ages 6 and 12 will cost $1 admission; and seniors age 65 and over also will cost $1 admission.
Approximately 60 vendors from all over the United States are expected, selling authentic Native American foods and hand-made traditional arts and crafts.
The highlight of the weekend will be the dances, including inter-tribal dancing, men's traditional and fancy dancing, and women's traditional and jingle dress dancing.
Traditional ceremonies are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, and for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Besides the dancing and Native American arts and crafts, raffles for various gifts and a 50/50 raffle sponsored by the Kosciusko Literacy Volunteers of America will be held. Drawings will take place on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Maze, who raises buffalo, said he has met many Native Americans through the sales of buffalo meat, and hoped to get a Pow Wow going in Warsaw.
As part owner of Ace Hardware in Warsaw, Maze originally planned on holding the Pow Wow at Ace Hardware, but it became too big and there was no place to hold it.
Maze said he's planning on approximately 400 dancers, children, vendors and others who travel with the Pow Wow. Some of the Native Americans will camp at the fairgrounds, he said, and others will stay in town.
The initial cost of the Pow Wow was $7,000, and any money raised beyond that will be donated to Combined Community Services, Maze said.
Besides admission costs at the gate, funds also will be raised throughout the weekend through sales of T-shirts and sweatshirts that say "First Annual Gathering of the People."
While the coincidence of holding the Pow Wow on the same weekend as "Back to the Days of Kosciuszko" was an accident, Maze said he's not disappointed.
"We had to set the date a year ago," he said. "It should be a big bonus, because it's going to bring a lot of people to Warsaw for both events."
