My good friend Leo Canfield first told me about the event a couple of months ago. He has become acquainted with the Tapalot Native American Fellowship and members of the Miami Nation of Indians in Peru, Ind.
There were plenty of presentations, and the entertainers were as diverse as their wonderful presentations. Mary Bryan and Lincoln elementary schools staged musical presentations, and there were dancers from the Chin and Indian communities and a session on zumba.
There was a presentation that featured folks from different cultures wearing their native attire. Each person explained what they were wearing and the history of the culture. The final lady who spoke was from India and attended Brown County High School.
After that presentation was over I found her at a display table. I explained to her that I was a friend of her school system’s superintendent, Dr. Laura Hammack, who had been an assistant superintendent at Beech Grove Schools for several years.
There was an interesting group of American Indians who set up a large drum and started playing it while dancing and singing native songs. There were also a couple of dancers dressed in their native regalia. Spectators were invited to join them, but since nobody seemed interested, Lyn and I leapt into action. Soon about 12 more people joined in the fun.
A few times I thought I heard someone calling my name, but I never saw anyone looking in my direction. I was later introduced to a Shawnee master storyteller; I can’t remember his Indian name but his legal name is Fred Shaw. I was hearing folks shouting at him from across the room and thought they were hollering Fred Shonk.
As soon as Lyn and I returned home we hunted up our bucket lists and added dancing around Indian drummers and singing native chants. We then waited a bit before ceremoniously scratching them off our lists.
It’s a special day when a bucket list item is scratched.