Whispering Winds Hosts Native American Festival [VIDEO]

The sound of drums filled the air at the Whispering Winds Equestrian Farm on Saturday as the equestrian facility hosted a gathering of Native Americans from around the area. The day also provided an opportunity for those from outside of the culture to learn more about their neighbors. 

Matthew Whiteeagle, one of the people responsible for the event said he was glad to be able to bring his heritage to life in his new hometown. Originally tracing his roots back to the Micmac tribe in New Brunswick Canada, Whiteeagle said his history, mixed with the spiritual meaning of the horses that roam the property made for a very special experience. "To native people they're spirited horses and we take horses very sacred so this a very good spiritual uplift," he said. 

With members of different tribes coming together to share their culture and learn more about each other, Whiteeagle said it also gives people of Native American Culture who might not know a lot about their history to learn where they come from. In New Jersey the two main active tribes are the Lenape and the Delaware, according to Whiteeagle and festivals like this are a chance for them to meet other people similar to them. "They're not really that well known around here, but this is another way to have them come out and share who they are."

Festivals celebrating different cultures is a common occurence in Howell, so Whiteeagle said he believed a celebration of his culture could help people get to know the traditions of the Native Americans better. "I've noticed that there weren't really any Native American festivals, gatherings or pow wows," he said. "It was a good way to start something here in Howell and let people know that there are native people here. There might be native people standing right next to you and you wouldn't even realize it."

In addition to the traditional music and dancing, the festival also included traditional foods to feed the people in attendance as well as vendors selling clothing and jewelry among other items. One of the people cooking the food, Diane Patterson has a unique perspective having been raised in an Italian family before marrying her husband who was raised Susquehanna and Cherokee. Now, Patterson said she feels at home going to these events all over the area. "It's a good environment to be in," she said. "It's very family oriented and I can think of no better way to have my kids brought up."

She also said when it comes to these events, it does not matter what tribe the people come from or whether you were born into them or not. Patterson said the Dakota tribe has a phrase which means, "the family your heart chooses," which is why she said the people that go to the festivals feel so comfortable whether it is their first time there or they have been there several times before.

Some of the items Patterson and her fellow cooks were making on Saturday included a frybread taco made with venison, a rabbit soup and a pudding called wojapi which was similar to a cold berry soup.

For those Howell residents looking to learn more about Whiteeagle's Native American culture, he will be hosting the library's second annual Native American Heritage Month Celebration on Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. This is his second time holding the event and will include several dancers performing a variety of dances and teaching the stories behind them.