Powwow Returns To Pocomoke

POCOMOKE CITY, MD (The Daily Times/WUSA) --- This past wekeend, May 15 - 16, 2009, Cypress Park in Pocomoke City near Salisbury, Md., was filled with the sounds of American Indian drums and singing.

The Assateague Native Peoples Tribe hosted the 16th annual Native American Indian Powwow and Festival, "Drums on the Pocomoke."

The Host Drum, White Buffalo is from Virginia; the lead dancers are Mike and Jeannie Crawford of the Cherokee from North Carolina; the emcee will be Snow Owl of the Abenaki Tribe.

Using native song and dance, powwows honor the veterans who have fought and protected our country; veterans are invited into the dance circle during part of the event.

The Assateague Tribe is mainly a group of residents from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware with American Indian blood in their heritage, according to Chief Medicine Cat. He said American Indian ancestors lived on the Eastern Shore for hundreds of years.

"We were also known as the great Assateagues or the Kickotanks," he said.

Before English and Dutch settlers arrived on the Eastern Shore, the Assateagues' territory was encompassed from as far south as Cape Charles and as far north as the Indian River in Delaware.