Creek Indian Pow Wow starts Saturday

MILTON — The Santa Rosa County Creek Indian Tribe invites everyone to attend the 29th annual Pow Wow Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

This year’s Pow Wow is dedicated to Chief Thomas “Blue Eyes” Nichols.

“We built a replica Creek Village and Creek Ceremonial Square on the grounds,” said Dan Helms, a tribal chief. “We will have a living village at the Pow Wow with demonstrations on what Creek life was like in the early 1800s.”

Helms wanted to thank Impact 100 for their funding that allowed the tribe to complete their Native American Cultural Center.

According to Helms, over 70 Native American arts and crafts vendors will attend this year, selling jewelry, clothing, dream catchers, crafts and honey.

Food vendors include the always popular Native American fry bread and roasted corn.

The Pow Wow will have Native American drumming and dancing performed by a group called Drum of the Descendants, and a drum contest. In addition, Muscogee folk singer Kotchv Humoti will enlighten listeners to be conscious of the sacredness of Mother Earth through his singing and folk stories.

Native American artifacts will be displayed in the Living Creek Village. There will be storytelling by tribal elders for the children.

The Pow Wow will take place at the Creek Tribal Grounds, 4750 Willard Norris Road in Milton. The grounds open each day at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. The grand entry, where members of the tribe walk in full costumes, starts at 11 a.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Admission to the Pow Wow is $5 per car.

Santa Rosa County Creek Indian Tribe Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and receives no governmental funding.

“Our mission is to preserve and teach Native American language, heritage and culture,” Helms said. “The Pow Wow is the tribe's most important fundraiser of the year. The success of our mission depends on these proceeds.”

For more information, contact Dan Helms at 850-748-2441 or by email at Council@SantaRosaCreekTribe.org.