by Nancy Besonen
Participants and visitors felt both the beat and the heat this past weekend at the 38th annual Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s (KBIC) Maawanji-iding Pow Wow at the Ojibwa Campground north of Baraga. Temperatures nudging 90 degrees didn’t put a damper on the popular event which draws a wide following from near and far. KBIC member Lauri Denomie said she was told that 609 dancers took to the arena Saturday. A full 24 drums registered for the weekend. “The heat was 100 percent better than rain,” Denomie observed, noting the skies opened Saturday after dancing was done, then cleared again Sunday morning. The Pow Wow begins earlier in the week with traditional teachings and activities, then opens to the public with Friday evening’s first Grand Entry at 7 p.m. Three more Grand Entries follow at 1 and 7 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.