Indian Summer Festival - 21st Annual event, Milwaukee, WI. September 7-9, 2007 Including Brule and Country & Western Star, Blake Shelton Concert Performances

This 21st Annual Indian Summer Festival, September 7, 8, 9, 2007, is a blending of the traditional and the contemporary, the Indian Summer Festival offers a fun and entertaining way to experience the diversity of American Indian culture. Each year a festival theme is chosen to showcase American Indian entertainers, musicians, fine artists, and craft people. The festival also celebrates the rich American Indian heritage with authentic tribal villages, storytellers, traditional handcrafts, dance troupes, and lacrosse. Other highlights include a full competition Pow wow with the must see grand entry of dancers, the spectacular fireworks display on Friday and Saturday, the highly acclaimed food, and Friday’s very special Education Day. The Indian Summer Music Awards (ISMA) show on Friday evening.The Indian Summer Pow-Wow is a full competition event. While the purpose is to celebrate the American Indian culture with friends and family, an added element of competition is present as men and women in specific age groups, dance in traditional dance categories for cash awards and great prestige. The emcee explains the significance of the dances as they begin. The drum is the heartbeat of American Indian Culture, setting the rhythm of the dance and tempo of the song. Two types are used at most Pow-Wows: the traditional drum, which is made by stretching hides over a frame and lacing the hides together with rawhide, and a regular band bass drum, which is a modern influence. Both types are given the utmost respect by all tribes. Original songs and chants were in the native language of the singer. As different tribes gathered, they would share songs, often changing them so singers of other tribes could join in. With these changes came the use of “vocables” to replace the words of old songs; so today, some songs are sung in vocables having no words, but they still hold special meaning to those who know the song. Many songs are still sung in native tongue and are either newly composed or revivals of old songs. These songs are a reminder and preservation to the Indian people of their rich heritage. Dances are a very important part of the life of all American Indian tribes. Many social or special dances are seen at Pow-Wows today. While some dance styles and content have changed, their meaning and importance to American Indians has not.