PLANS FOR POWWOW 2008 COMING TOGETHER
This will be our 10th anniversary for this event. This year’s dates are August 15, 16 & 17 at Fort Flagler State Park. There are several campsites reserved just for our group. There are three premium sites for $51, and the remainder are standard sites for $45. These sites have been reserved by the Tribe for Friday and Saturday nights, and can be yours by simply contacting the coordinator at vicechair@snohomishtribe.com or calling the voice mail at 425-744-1855. Remember, there is a $10 per night charge for an extra vehicle in your campsite. Click here for the park's website for information on the park itself. Check-in time is anytime after 2:30pm on Friday afternoon.
There is a lot going on this year which will include some activities on Sunday as well. We will close the event with the burning of cedar boughs at 4pm on Sunday. While many of you may choose to camp for only 2 nights, this doesn’t preclude your participation in Sunday’s events. It only means that you will need to be checked out of your campsite by 1pm. You can still park in the day use lots free-of-charge. Remember, the $5 day use fee was dropped a few years back. (You also have the option of making your own reservation with the park, for additional nights, if you wish.)
Plans are being made for a few local tribes to come and share song and dance with us before and after dinner on Saturday. As with the past few years, there will be a place for our elders to gather and reflect on life’s experiences. There will be a place for kid’s to create crafts. There will be a trading post for Snohomish Tribal Enterprises. Other vendors are welcome, as well, but you will need to provide your own tables and shelter.
The traditional salmon dinner will be around 4pm on Saturday. This is a POTLUCK event, so be sure to bring your favorite dish, salad or dessert. Frybread will be available for sale most of the afternoon and clams will also be available—we have a backup plan to prevent last year’s absence of this favorite treat!
The center of activities for the 3 days will be at the picnic shelter located across from the store as you enter the lower campground area. Having this sheltered area was made possible by a generous cash donation of over $350. This would be a logical place to mention that the powwow is probably the single biggest expense for the tribe during the year. While we acknowledge that the membership voted to have a $3,000 budget each year for the powwow, we are getting low on funds. There have been no major grants since moving out of our office. There is the cost of restoring our federal recognition this year and the expense to get the non-profit group up and running. So, we would like to remind all of you that the charges for the campsites go directly to the parks department while the rest of the expenses are covered by tribal enterprise sales and generous donations made by you throughout the year. Thank you to those of you who continue to help make these things possible.
We hope that this special anniversary event will be the biggest and best yet!
Respectfully, Mike Schultz, Vice Chair and Powwow Coordinator