Friday, January 31, 2003
We took the Volksmarch in Collier-Seminole State Park in the morning. We noticed while driving over to the trailhead that there was a native-American “Pow-wow” starting and decided we’d visit that in the afternoon. The new version of this Volksmarch follows the main white-blazed loop trail in the park for about 5 miles and then takes a short loop around a lake and thru a part of the campground—an older version does more of the campground and other trails. The trail was well-marked and, as usual, we didn’t see another soul for the entire hour and a half we were on the trail. The trail did turn into deep, rutted sand for half a mile in a couple of places that was very difficult to walk on, almost like walking in dunes. We even saw a couple cross-country bikers right at the beginning who had given up on the trail and turned back.

The backcountry for most of the walk was scrub pine and saw palmetto that was natural habitat for the scrub jay, an endangered species. We didn’t see one for most of the walk until Monika pointed at one who had just flown into a branch. We stood very quietly while two more jays joined the first one and they then hopped down the path in our direction, looking for food but otherwise ignoring us unless we moved. I took pictures while trying to minimize any sudden movements. We saw their beautiful blue and gray coloring “up close and personal” as they hopped by.

After the walk we drove into Venice to mail things and do some shopping and then shifted our campsite to a new location, which took a while. But finally we were finished and could visit the pow-wow. The trading tents were all open but there weren’t many people, so we could take a leisurely look at everything. We ended up buying a small dream-catcher for the truck and a small Indian maiden doll named Charlotte for Monika’s collection. The doll we sat behind the headrests in the back of the truck so she could look out the rear window for the rest of our drive.

We went back to camp for diner but then revisited the pow-wow for the evening ceremonies. These took place in a large circle made from picnic tables with one entrance to the east which had to be used by all people entering or exiting the dance area. The ceremony started with the Grand Entrance which was lead by three veterans carrying a buffalo staff, the American flag, and a POW-MIA flag. After them came the head man and head women for the dancers and the rest of the dances, some of whom had very exotic costumes.

We saw serious dances such as the women dancing and a grass dancer imitating how grass is beaten down but then always rises again. They had a special dance for veterans in which all veterans were welcomed to join. I noticed a particular emphasis on patriotism in several of the events and a warm welcome for all veterans, which I appreciated as that happens so seldom for Vietnam-era veterans. Other dances were social rather than serious and meant to involve and welcome us strangers as well as all the native Americans present, and watching the kids try to dance was fun. Monika and I joined in the “everybody” dance that involved rhythmically shuffling the feet sideways in a big circle—I was a “warrior” so I got to be in the first part of the line with all the other men. I thought often of Pamela during the pow-wow and wished she was there, partly so she could explain some of the things to me! We stayed at the pow-wow until almost nine, which was pretty late for us, and then walked back to the campsite for the night.