Old Santee Canal Park to Host Wassamasaw Powwow on Oct. 21

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – The Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians will host their annual Powwow on Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Old Santee Canal Park. The event, which is open to the public, will include socializing, dancing, singing and other ways to honor their culture.

Admission for the event is $10. Children under six years old, and adults 65 and over, get free admission. This is a family event with no outside food or drinks permitted. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own chairs. The event is being sponsored in part by the South Carolina Humanities, whose mission is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians.

Dale “Silver Hawk” Varner will serve as the master of ceremonies, while David “Spirit Walker” Creel will be the arena director. Event activities include:

• More than 35 vendors offering a wide variety of food and crafts.

• Marsh Tacky horse exhibition. They will be discussing the breed and how they tie into tribal history. There will also be rides for a unique experience.

• Children’s area with sweets and jump castles. Charlie the River Dog, mascot of the Charleston RiverDogs, will be making an appearance from 11 a.m.-noon.

• Bobby Branton, a Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage award winner, will be showcasing his award-winning knives. He is a three-time inductee into the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame.

• Keith “Little Bear” Brown, Master Catawba Potter and storyteller, will be demonstrating Indian pottery traditions.

• Visit the new exhibit inside the Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center. View pottery pieces, regalia, a timeline from the 1600s to present, along with cultural artwork, like gourd painting, still being done today. The Wassamasaw Tribe’s handmade tribal drum will also be on display.

More information about the event can be found here.