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POWWOW TIME AGAIN! Spring Pow Wow Fundraising

by Dr. Robert Soto

We want to remind you of our annual spring pow wow that will be happening this March 4, 2023. This will be our third pow wow open to the public since covid hit in 2020. Our pow wows are an important and important time for our tribe to socialize, learn, and practice our cultural traditions. At our last pow wow we had Lipan Apache people come from Missouri, Oklahoma, California and even from the Netherlands. With each pow wow comes a stronger community of our people. The pow wow is open to anyone. At this time, all vendor spots are already taken. If you desire to be placed on a waiting list, please contact Debbie Robertson at 956-780-4933.

This year we are again honored to have Sayani bless us and entertain us. Jorie West and Christie West are Sayani, an award winning duo known for their unique blend of rich, beautiful harmonies. Jorie and Christie are mother and daughter who, after working for many years as studio musicians and backup vocalists on the mainland and in Hawaii, began singing together as Sayani (Cherokee word meaning Zion). The Sacred Fire album was written to share their family stories, both past and present of life as Indians through language and a music. Sayani is a Native American Music Award winning duo of Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw and Celtic descent.

One thing we are doing a little different again this year is that we will be giving Day Money for the first fifty-five dancers that register. Each dancer can receive up to $40 day money, $20 per grand entry. All dancers must be in full Native attire for both grand entries. The first grand entry will be at 1 PM with dancing until 4:30 PM and the second grand entry will be from 7 PM with the dancing until 9:30 PM. Each dancer will receive a number to show that they are registered.

The pow wow will be held in Alton Texas, about five miles from McAllen and just north of Mission. It will be at the Alton Recreation Center at 349 Dawes Ave in Alton. The city has been generous enough to let us have their beautiful Recreation Center free of charge. This will save us a lot of money.

Order of events:
March 4th
      ◈Doors open for pow wow 10 AM
      ◈1st Gourd Dance 11 AM
      ◈1st Sayani Concert 12:15 PM
      ◈1st Grand Entry for Dancers 1 PM
      ◈1st Pow Wow Dancing 1 PM to 4 PM
      ◈2nd Gourd Dance 5:30 PM
      ◈2nd Sayani Concert 6:30 PM
      ◈2nd Grand Entry for Dancers 7 PM
      ◈Pow Wow Closing Ceremony 9:30 PM

Our head staff:
      ◈Head Man Dancer....Homer Hinojosa.... Lipan Apache
      ◈Head Lady Dancer.....Cheyenne Moody....Lipan Apache
      ◈Head Gourd Dancer......TBA
      ◈Master of Ceremonies....Bob Woolery....Cherokee/Chickasaw
      ◈Arena Director......Reynaldo Leal III.....Lipan Apache
      ◈Host Drum Huisache Creek Singers...Head Singer Ruben Soto...Lipan Apache
      ◈Invited Drum...Texas Connection....Head Singer Eloy Solis...Lipan Apache

How To Donate for the Pow Wow

So as the local RGV Lipan Tribe community plans for the pow wow, their fundraising for the pow wow has started. The cost of the pow wow is estimated to cost $8,160, with (on 1/17/23) about half being raised. If you can help, you can donate in one of two ways:

   ◈ First, through McAllen Grace Brethren Church either through check, money order or through PayPal on MGB Church's SonTree website--http://www.sontree.org/ (write note "for Pow Wow"). Make checks payable to McAllen Grace Brethren Church or McAllen GBC and include on check's note "for pow wow."
      McAllen Grace Brethren Church
      P.O. Box 3751
      McAllen, TX 78501

   ◈ Second, through the Lipan Apache Tribe either through check, money order or through PayPal/Venmo on our Tribe's Dontion webpage--https://www.lipanapache.org/LAT/donate.html (write note "for Pow Wow"). Make checks payable to Lipan Apache Tribe or Lipan Apache Tribe of TX and include on check's note "for pow wow."
      Lipan Apache Tribe
      P.O. Box 5218
      McAllen, TX 78501

Please put the date on your calendar and remember to support our pow wow. (By the way, for those who think they live too far to come, at the last pow wow we had a Lipan Apache come all the way from the Netherlands with the promise he was going to try and come to the fall pow wow.)

Download the flyer (link above) and share!