This will be one of the busier weekends of the year for Ignacio. The Southern Ute Bear Dance and Pow Wow start today. The Ignacio High School graduation is tomorrow morning. And the Southern Ute Veterans hold their annual Memorial Day observances on Monday.
Bear Dance activities start today with blessing of the Bear Dance corral at 10:30 a.m. Dancing continues through the weekend and ends with a feast on Monday at noon. The Bear Dance celebrates the return of spring and bears coming out of hibernation, and was traditionally a chance for people to socialize after being separated over the winter. All are welcome. There are rules of etiquette: no short dresses or baggy pants for dancers, and photography or other recording is prohibited except for members of the Ute tribes. For information call 563-0100, ext. 3624.
The pow wow starts Friday evening and continues on Saturday at the Sky Ute Fairgrounds. Gourd dancing to honor military veterans is at 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The colorful grand entries are at 7 p.m. Friday and 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday. There are contests with cash prizes for Native drum groups and for all ages of traditional and contemporary dancers. There are Native arts and crafts vendors and food vendors as well. Spectator admission is free.
There also will be a Handgame Tournament with cash prizes Saturday at the Sky Ute Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. Games will start at 3:30 p.m.
The Ignacio High School graduation is Saturday at 10 a.m. in the main gym.
The Southern Ute Veterans Association will hold their annual Day of Remembrance Monday at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park on the tribal campus to honor all who have served. All are welcome. The event will include flag and honor songs, the Pledge of Allegiance by Southern Ute Academy kids, presentation of memorial wreaths, speeches by visiting dignitaries, special presentations by the Veterans Association, and then the line-up for the Walk of the Warriors.
That will go from the park to the Bear Dance bridge for the wreath ceremony, and then to Ouray Cemetery for the rest of the veterans' observance. The event concludes back at Veterans Park with a feast.
