It was an all-American way to celebrate Labor Day weekend, with a “Miss Jubilee” pageant, a barbecue, a bandshell concert, square dancing, an arts and crafts show and a Native American Traditional Powwow. Zion had it all at its 46th Annual Jubilee Days Festival last weekend.
From Potawatomis and Ojibwas to Oneidas and Menominees, dozens of Native Americans gathered in Zion’s Shiloh Park, dressed in eagle-feathered bonnets and dance bustles, and arm and leg bands of bells for three days of powwows.
That meant audiences would be treated to some serious religious opening ceremonies. But once the traditional chants and prayers were over, master of ceremonies Leonard Malatare of Chicago invited spectators to come into the roped off ceremonial circle.
“Everyone can join in the intertribal dancing. You don’t have to be Indian or dressed in Indian regalia to participate in this part,” Malatare said.
Ingleside Cub Scout Nicolas Lishko, 8, took Malatare up on the offer. He had come to see the powwow with three other Scouts from Fox Lake-based Pack 83.
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“Its really fun,” said Nicolas, who put his heart and body into moving with the drumbeat. “Once you get the hang of it, it is real easy. And its a lot of fun going out there with the Indians. I really liked it a lot.”
Kathy Schnura, 12, came with her family from Barrington. She and sister Erika, 9, watched through the experienced eyes of YMCA Indian Princesses.
“We had to do something kind of like this, but it’s not the same. This is neat, seeing all the different things, their clothes, music and everything,” Kathy said.
Their mom, Vicki, hoped to pick up information she could use in the 5th-grade class she teaches in Cary. “I thought this was a good way to do research,” she said.
For Dixie Young of Waukegan, the powwow was a reaching out to her heritage. Young has a mix of ethnic backgrounds that includes Navajo and Sioux. “This is wonderful. When I found out this was coming here, I couldn’t wait,” Young said.