Bakersfield Goes To: ...Standing Bear Pow wow

Standing Bear Powwow, a celebration of American Indian heritage and community, began at Bakersfield College Friday evening and continued through the weekend. “besides the cultural and commercial aspects of this year’s event — whose official flier promises contest dancing, native arts and crafts, cultural awareness, native foods and family fun — attendees will be able to enjoy the powwow’s deeply rooted spiritual component.”
The food was great; I had Chumash Indian fry bread taco and some great strawberry Lemonade, with real strawberry chunks. Next to the booth where I ate was a sausage booth and a slushy booth next to that.
The music was great with drums from all over the state and southwest.
The dancers in the competition and doing demonstrations were very talented and their traditional dance costumes were inspiring.
The flintknapping booth was great; flintknappers from all over the state of California were demonstrating their craft and displaying their art. Gary Picket put on the knapping section of the pow-wow; Gary Picket, learned the stone age craft while living in Missouri, where flint Indian artifacts are common in the creeks and hollers. Picket experimented for many years before he mastered the craft. Picket says that modern flintknappers sign their work to keep it from being misrepresented as ancient. He invites all interested to the park to learn more about this strange but growing hobby. Gary often does demonstrations for events, schools, pow-wow and museums. For more information, call (661) 392-7729.