Pow Wow- Cleveland, Ohio

Thomas and I were vendors during the Fathers' Day weekend Pow Wow in Edgewater Park, Cleveland, Ohio. The beautiful setting was just off Lake Erie where families go to enjoy refreshing strolls along the shores. Friday, June 17th, 2005 was pretty dreary. The waves were high and so was the attendance of surfers. They were out to brave the cold punches of the high waves.

Cameramen from local TV station were around to interview the pow wow staff and the entertainers for Friday night.

Saturday turned out to be nice had it not been to the swarms of Canadian soldiers. They look like mosquitoes but with more fuzzy head like what the Canadian soldiers wear. They don't bite but with hundreds or even thousands of them, they pester you, tickling your nose and ears. I was told that they only live for 24 hours. They probably spent all that time trying to propagate their species. There were thousands of black dots all over our white tent. I was told that they only come 3 days in a year. Why Fathers' Day weekend?

Those men playing chess by the restroom areas were still wrapped up thinking of their next moves. They were there last few years and it seemed like they were frozen in time.

By the end of the pow wow, the climate was a little cool. The bugs were gone. Lake Eerie bacame a romantic back drop for young or old couples trying to make out. This is a free country, I have nothing against that but I believe that it shouldn't be lewd, vulgar and too open. Thomas had to hurry out of the mens restroom to avoid some distasteful shoutings and noises when a young man invited his girl friend in the mens room.

Edgewater Park, Cleveland, Ohio Pow wow changes to Festival in 2008

Organizers of the Cleveland Pow wow decided that it will be a festival next year.

Also, 2007 Cleveland pow wow marked the day when the head veteran from Pennsylvania got kicked out of the pow wow for no good reason. He's a soft-spoken, kindly Native American elder from Pennsylvania. His wife was so hurt. In spite of everything, the couple decided to stay and visit with friends but didn't dance at the pow wow for obvious reason. At that time, a dancer dropped an eagle feather and the pow wow made do with retrieving the eagle feather without the veteran.

Vendors were not allowed to get food till all the drummers and dancers have eaten because the staff said that the vendors always eat all the food up and there's nothing left for the drummers and dancers. A vendor was stopped 3 times for getting food and went back to her booth empty handed. Her elderly husband was hungry so, he just bought food from the food vendors. Another vendor just left and went to McDonald's. What's the fuss? The food was donated and the servers were volunteers from the city.