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My husband Greg and I attended this event, presented by the Native American Awareness Committee, on August 9, 2014. Beattie Park is located along the Rock River, in Rockford, Illinois. It is the site of three conical mounds, a linear mound, an earthen embankment, and one effigy mound of a turtle. These mounds date from the Late Woodland Period, a span of time from 300 to 1100 A.D.
This day-long commemoration featured the lighting of the sacred fire, followed by prayer. Two award-winning dancers, Ronnie Preston and his daughter Emma Preston (Apache Tribe), performed dances, told ancient Native American stories, and invited the audience to participate. The highlight was Ronnie Preston’s performance of the Hoop Dance, an intricate dance representing various types of animals. The drum music accompanying the dancing was inspirational.
Wamblee Loux, an Oglala Lakota, spoke on behalf of Midwest SOARRING (Save our Ancestors’ Remains and Resources Indigenous Network Group). He is a Vietnam veteran, and noted that Native Americans have served with distinction in every conflict in which the United States has been involved.
Terry “Standing Buffalo” Reynolds spoke about the settling of America from the Native American perspective. He said, “There is one thing no one can take from you — your spirit. I will walk today as my ancestors walked and hope you will walk with us step by step.”
We had such a great time that we are already looking forward to the 20th Annual Honor the Mounds event in Rockford next year.
Wondering if anyone here sees these mounds as being related to the rock ‘pillars’ or ‘cairns’ that are found in New England? http://www.stonestructures.org/html/cairns.html
My aunt in Vermont showed me some of these where she lives and they appear to be older than the settlers. She has a keen eye for them and can identify animal shapes in some of them. The site above suggests that ‘cairn fields’ were built along with a wall. These are different from farmer’s rock walls in that they are not in locations where a field could be. On my last visit I saw a series of cairns as well as a wall about 25 feet long. The wall was on a slope next to a waterfall in the forest – looking very much like the picture on the SaponiTown.com homepage. I doubt that area was ever farmed due to the steep slope- but even if it was it is a totally illogical spot for a farmer to build a fence.
The mounds – and the quote Gussie mentions about not being able to take spirit reminded me of these.
Found some good info in this 2006 book: http://books.google.ca/books?id=cLV-_itvet0C&pg
A Guide to New England Stone Structures: Stone Cairns, Stone Walls, Standing Stones, Chambers, Foundations, Wells, Culverts, Quarries and Other Structures – by Mary Elaine & James Gage
It seems like there is a recent surge in interest on this topic.
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