Chance to dance and enjoy life

As Cliff SiJohn tells the story, a few teenage girls and a few young boys were asked to move almost 1,000 head of horses from around Post Falls, over Mica Peak and into the land around Worley, Idaho.

This was soon after a coalition of American Indian warriors defeated Col. Edward J. Steptoe at Rosalia in 1858.

“The government soldiers saw the huge dust cloud go up over the mountains, and they went to get the horses,” said SiJohn, a Coeur d’Alene Tribe elder and the cultural coordinator for Julyamsh, the tribe’s annual powwow that began Friday night. “They killed the girls, and the little boys got scared and ran off. They took the horses down here to the river and killed them to punish us, to put us on foot, right before winter.”

That’s why the grand entry at Julyamsh always begins with the horses.

“It’s a memorial ride to remember the old people from back then, and to remember the horses,” SiJohn said.

Julyamsh continues today and until 10 p.m. Sunday at the Greyhound Park and Event Center in Post Falls. Gates open daily at 8 a.m.

Drummers, almost 1,000 dancers, artists and horse people from more than 100 tribes gather at Julyamsh, a traditional celebration resurrected in 1998.

“Before we brought it back, the last gathering was in 1917 or 1918,” said SiJohn. “It was always here by the river. We are not performers. This is not like the Lilac Parade. This is for all of us to get together and dance and enjoy life.”

There’s no charge to visit Julyamsh, except $5 for parking.

Julyamsh features exhibits by colleges and businesses as well as vendors who sell traditional Indian arts and crafts and contemporary merchandise such as car decals and purses.

Jacqueline Rickard, who belongs to the Walker River Paiute tribe in Nevada and recently moved to Athol, sells bead-embroidered pine needle baskets.

“I learned from my older cousin – she’s 94 years old now – how to do the weaving,” said Rickard, sitting in the shade of her tent. “First I did my own bead designs. Then she encouraged me to do the traditional Paiute designs.”

A retired teacher, Rickard said she’s learning about herself and the history of her people through her basket work.

“My favorite part of being here is that I’m in awe of the heart of the people,” Rickard said. “And I’m in awe of the Native American reverence for the earth, the thankfulness for everything, and the realization that the earth is important.”

Alphonso and Cindy Mikes, Navajo siblings, traveled to Julyamsh from the Four Corners area in Utah, bringing a huge selection of dream catchers.

“I’ve made them since I was 8 years old, and I’m 31 now,” Alphonso Mike said. “My grandfather worked on the railroads in Nebraska, and it was some Sioux friends who taught him how to do it.”

Cindy Mike said their dream catchers are made from elk hide and sinew, feathers and beads – the traditional way. They work by catching all your dreams, she explained, sending the bad ones off in the morning and letting the good ones travel by the hanging feathers to the person sleeping below.

Tonight, dancers from the American Indian Physicians Association will join other dancers.

“They are having a conference at the Coeur d’Alene Casino this weekend,” SiJohn said. “The focus of their conference is to recruit young people into academia and medicine.”

Early Friday afternoon, people were already milling around the Post Falls grounds, and vehicles hauling horse trailers continued to arrive. “It will be crowded here this weekend,” SiJohn said, smiling. “This is also about a cultural exchange between us and our community neighbors. But we’ll have people from all over the world, from Europe and Japan. It’s a great opportunity for us all to just be together.”