Bartlesville Indian Heritage   As an Intertribal festival, Oklahoma Indian Summer welcomes each of the more than 28 federally recognized nations, tribes, bands and townships headquartered in the state of Oklahoma. Since 1988, the Oklahoma Indian Summer Festival has been sponsored by the Cherokee, Delaware and Osage tribes of Indians. Those three Indian tribes located in Green Country, Oklahoma, have played a significant role in the Bartlesville area. Their history is briefly captured here. The Cherokee Tribe The Cherokee once occupied the entire Southwest Allegheny mountain region of Virginia, the Carolinas, parts of Tennessee, northern Georgia and northeastern Alabama. Eventually, Cherokee leaders chose to adopt the ways of the white man, accepting whites into their society through intermarriage. The Cherokee developed industries and prospered. In the late 18th century, Sequoyah devoted himself to creating the Cherokee alphabet. With it, the Cherokees had a written form of communication, which led to greater prosperity and sophistication. It was also during this era that the tribe formed the Cherokee National Council. In 1830, the federal government ordered all Indians relocated west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory (later to become Oklahoma). About 1,000 Cherokee took refuge in the North Carolina Smokey Mountains, but 14,000 others made the 800-mile journey. During the six -month "Trail of Tears," a quarter of the Cherokee died. The Cherokee of the Indian Territory, with its capital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, formed a federation now known as the Five Civilized Tribes with the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole tribes. The Delaware Tribe Before the arrival of European colonists, the Delaware Indians, or Lenape, lived along rivers in the present-day states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. The Delaware were among the first to encounter the arriving Europeans, which proved devastating for the tribe. By 1700, smallpox reduced their numbers from 24,000 to 3,000. After many years of conflict with whites and rival Indians, notably the Iroquois, the Delaware began to forcibly migrate from their ancestral lands and became the first tribe to sign a treaty with the U.S. government, relinquishing their land. From the mid-18th to the mid 19th centuries, the main body of Delaware moved steadily to Oklahoma. In 1875, Jacob and Nannie Journeycake Pratt Bartles came to Indian Territory to join the Delaware people. Jacob set about building a community – today's Bartlesville. Bartles' wife, the daughter of Delaware leader Charles Journeycake, established the town's first church and Sunday school. The first commercial oil discovery in Oklahoma, drilled just a few blocks from the site of Oklahoma Indian Summer, is named for Nellie Johnstone, a Delaware maiden. Today, Delaware tribal headquarters are located in Bartlesville. The tribe's service area extends to Washington, Nowata, Craig, Rogers and North Tulsa counties. The Osage Tribe The Osage trace part of their ancestry to the stars. They believe that the Tzi-Sho, "People from the Sky," came here and formed a union with the Hunkah, "People of the Earth." Evidence indicates the first Osage lived in the Ohio Valley until invasion by the Iroquois pushed them into the forests of what is now Missouri. But in 1802 two French traders convinced the tribe to split into two groups, leaving it vulnerable to the expansion plans of the U.S. In 1825, the federal government ordered all Osage to leave their remaining land for a small reservation near today's Kansas-Oklahoma border. Eventually, the Osage were required to move again, this time into the area that is now Osage County, Oklahoma. The early 20th century brought greater wealth to the tribe, when oil and natural gas were discovered on tribal lands. However, the Great Depression resulted in a crash in oil prices, and the 1930s were difficult times for many Osage. Periodic surges in oil prices over the years, plus a recent resurgence in natural gas development in Osage County, have helped restore a measure of Osage wealth. The tribe's capital is located in Pawhuska, which also is the site of a comprehensive tribal and area history museum. The Meaning of Dance   A Pow wow gathers together American Indians marking the end of a season and welcoming the beginning of a new one. It's a time to thank the Great Spirit for the good happenings of the past season and to ask a continuance of prosperity in the next season. All four seasons provide an opportunity to gather for feasting, dancing, drumming and singing. Some songs serve as a memorial – honoring lost tribal members and families. The Flag Song honors the men and women who served in various wars. Dances are entertaining to watch, but hold spiritual meaning for the dancers and elders. The dances reenact certain spiritual and symbolic aspects of humanity. Through the Pow wow, Native Americans pay respect by honoring ancestors, elders, families, veterans, friends and events in Native American history. The Pow wow offers a variety of special interest dances. The "two step" is an adaptation of the northern tribes and one of the few where men and women dance as partners. Only warriors dance the "war dance," which now constitutes a purely social dance, dignified and nonviolent. The "round dance" or "soldier dance" is also a social dance where all participate to honor the returning warrior. The Oklahoma Indian Summer Festival Pow Wow includes these special dance divisions. Gourd Dance The ceremonial Gourd Dance pays homage to veterans and leaders. It always precedes the evening portion of the Pow wow. Only gourd dancers may dance a gourd dance. The regalia of gourd dancers usually consist of long-sleeved shirts and pants, gourd sashes or vests and rattles. The gourd rattle is not made from a gourd but instead is a tin or silver cylinder filled with beads on a beaded handle. Fancy War Dance The War Dance or Oklahoma Style Fancy Dance ranks as the most colorful and exciting of all contests. Although freestyle movements mark this dance, the drumbeat must be followed. The dance is based on the standard "double step" employed by traditional and grass dancers. Fancy footwork, increased speed, acrobatic steps and wild body movements are added to this basic rhythm. Their outfits feature two elaborate and usually bright feather bustles worn on their backs. Deer hair and porcupine constitute the headdress, topped by one or two eagle feathers on a rocker that moves back and forth to the beat of the drum. Grass Dance The Grass Dance style is full of color and movement stemming from the original Omaha Grass Dance. The name "grass" derives from the old habit of tying braids of fragrant sweetgrass to the dancer's belts, producing a swaying effect. The basic step requires tapping the ball of one foot atop the other foot. This action is repeated, without missing a beat, using the opposite foot. The best grass dancers keep their heads moving up and down or side-to-side, nodding to the beat of the drum. Men's Southern Straight Dance This dance, known as a "gentlemen's dance" or an expression of the harmony of the universe, originated on the Southern plains. Its storyline follows a hunting or war party on the trail of prey or the enemy. The dancer constantly searches for prey, emitting an occasional "whoop" when he sights the trail. Dress varies from tribe to tribe but usually includes a porcupine headdress, ribbon work and an otter tail extending down the back of the dancer. Men's Northern Traditional Dance The Northern Traditional Dance is called the Original Dance of the Northern Plains Bands. A slower paced drum allows more flexibility in the dancer's step while he uses a "coup stick" and feather bustle. His style shows a hunter searching for prey or an enemy. The dancers paint their faces to intimidate the enemy. Traditional dancers commonly wear a circular bustle of eagle fathers and may carry shields, weapons, honor staff, medicine wheel, etc., all symbols of warrior status. Women's Northern Fancy Shawl Dance Traditional dress of blankets and buffalo robes give way to today's richly colored shawls and decorative knee-length dresses. Beaded moccasins with matching leggings and various pieces of jewelry compliment the shawl. The dance offers the young ladies the chance to show their agility and grace. Women's Cloth Dance Dancers perform in a slow, graceful walk. The handmade buckskin or cloth leggings, beadwork and intricate ribbon designs form a beautiful dress. Most traditional dancers wear or carry a shawl, a fan of eagle or hawk feathers, a single feather or beaded bag. The contest is judged on the ability to stay in time and stop with the drum. Women's Traditional Buckskin This division uses both Northern and Southern style dancing as determined by the drum. In the Southern style, the women dance around the drum similar to the Men's Straight Dance. Northern style dancing is performed in a small area with a light bouncing action, and at a certain beat of the drum, the women salute the drum. The dance style depends on the individual's tribe. Jingle Dress Dance The Jingle Dress Dance originated among the Chippewa/Ojibwa tribes of Canada and then spread westward when picked up by the Lakota. A relatively new dance to the Southern plains, it demonstrates pride and dignity. The colorful Jingle Dress furnishes much of the musical accompaniment for the dance. Long, tubular cones form a fringe-like decoration that jingles as the dancer moves. Special songs created recently showcase the rapid, sidestepping style that distinguishes jingle dress dancing.