Dancing in the sacred circle

By Grant Martin
Star Staff Writer
04-28-2002

Charles Hannah from Waco, Ga., dances wearing his Utah mountain lion. This mountain lion dates to 1930 and belonged to Hannah's grandfather. Photo: Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star OXFORD Some area residents will point out that Oxford was established long before many of its Calhoun County neighbors. This weekend, a celebration at Oxford Lake reminds us of those who were here long before that. Native Americans and onlookers converged Saturday on a section of the park for the second day of the 4th Annual Native American Pow Wow. The event, which features Native American music, dancing and crafts, began Friday and continues through this evening. "We've had a good crowd," said Ruth Davis, who organizes the Pow Wow along with her husband, Mark. "It gets bigger every year." Saturday's good weather likely played a part in bringing people out to enjoy the event, which got a drizzly start Friday. "We came out last year, and my kids really enjoyed it," said Anniston resident Phillip Guess, who brought his four sons, Zack, Chase, Reed and Dawson to the event. "My twins (Dawson and Reed) are only three and a half, but I asked them if they wanted to come see the Indians again, and they remembered."

Larry Campbell plays his flute. His friends have given him the name, 'Medicine Singer.' Photo: Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star The Guess brothers were just a few of the children who came to see the costumes and the dancing, while visitors of all ages strolled the grounds to visit the various booths. "These events go on all over the country," said one vendor from northern Georgia, named Cave Bear, who makes his living traveling across the region to sell crafts at such events. "If I ever get to where I can't travel, I might try to open a shop, but for now I enjoy traveling to the different places. You see a lot of the same faces, but you get to meet a lot of new people as well." That sense of community is what many of those in attendance say is the point of such events - not just for the Native Americans, but for the variety of cultures that come together to make up modern day communities. "To me, the point is to offer some education about Native American people," said Larry Campbell, a flute-maker and musician. "We want people to realize that we are not a past people. These people are very much a part of the present, but they have a very rich history." Campbell, who recently was accepted by the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, has recorded eight CDs and has had his music featured on numerous documentaries about Native American history. He will perform at the Pow Wow today at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. Story-telling and dance will continue through 5 p.m.

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