A celebration for all Schemitzun returns this weekend
The Mashantucket Pequot cultural grounds are more than just an area of land to the tribal nation that calls it home. During this time of year, the reservation becomes host to Schemitzun; the Feast of Green Corn and Dance Powwow that has been running for 27 years. Over the course of its history, the celebration started out small, gaining momentum, becoming one of the largest powwows in the Northeast and moving to the Hartford Civic Center for several years in the mid-1990s. However, Schemitzun returned to its original home in Mashantucket, and it is here where the social and cultural meaning has continued to thrive.
Daniel Menihan, a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, recalls memories of Schemitzun from when he was a child all the way through his current leadership role. To him, it was always about the community that rose out of Schemitzun, and he wanted to regain that by moving back to their home grounds, right across from the reservation’s community center on Matts Path road.
“We had to get back to the roots that made us powwow in the first place, sharing in the beautiful culture,” Menihan says, describing the transition from Hartford to Mashantucket. “We took a step back and wanted to make sure that our representation of the powwow wasn’t lost.”
By returning Schemitzun to the reservation, the council was able to maintain a strong family component rather than the pure spectacle that was at the Civic Center.
“It’s powerful that, with the land that we have left to call ours, we can ensure cultural gatherings,” Menihan says. “It’s a big sign of pride to do it on our land with the family, blood or not.”
By touring the grounds where Schemitzun will take place on Saturday and Sunday, it’s hard to believe it will soon hold 10,000 people. In the center is a large circular area, surrounded by a wooden structure and bleachers. The dance ceremonies will take place here, the open space coming alive with songs and beats native to the Mashantucket tribe. Menihan points out the wooden opening where the dancers will enter from the east, an act of honor for where the sun rises. His hand scoops around, outlining the structure further to describe how the dancers move clockwise and where the elders must sit during the ceremony.
“The powwow entertains in a way that is respectful to those before us,” Menihan says. “Some of the younger dancers dance in their honor, to fill their spot. This is very important, very meaningful, and at the end of the day, you just want to make people laugh and smile.”
This remembrance of others continues in Schemitzun’s ceremonial dance that is unique to their powwow. Menihan describes how each powwow has its own specialty that differentiates it from other tribes. Schemitzun’s specialty? The Ultimate Warrior Challenge.
The challenge is an eastern woodland dance where the performers compete in a dance-off, giving honor to those who went to battle. Menihan compares the Ultimate Warrior Challenge to a basketball tournament, with the championship dance battle taking place at 6 p.m. Sunday.
“(The challenge) really brings family together, it brings tribal families together and brings blood from other tribes together,” Menihan says. DANA JENSEN/THE DAY
Although he can no longer dance himself after an accident he had at age 19, Menihan’s love for the tribe and culture is shown in the various arts and crafts that he creates. He has made everything from regalia to wampum work, using both wood and bead materials and has had pieces displayed inside the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and in Foxwoods Casino.
“While making the craft, I always think of the purpose it will serve or the person’s face that I am giving it to,” Menihan says, mentioning that his favorite work is always something for his mother.
Menihan does not have children of his own but is a huge supporter of the reservation’s Children’s Development Program, where he started out his education of native culture at a young age. Every year, the kids participate in the powwow as part of the little fox dance group and can be seen running around the grounds, simply having fun and enjoying the celebration.
Educating the public about the Mashantucket tribe is crucial for Menihan at Schemitzun. The grounds are home to a small garden where the three sisters (corn, squash and beans) are planted in the traditional way, with fish and shells buried in the soil. Two wigwam shelters are built on the edge of the land, along with a passage fire pit that is lit when a member of the tribe dies, with the flames not being put out until the deceased is laid to rest.
Menihan stresses that everything from the garden to the wigwams are used for their true purpose, but they are also an amazing way to educate people who have not been exposed to their community.
Schemitzun is a social gathering more than anything, and the Mashantucket tribe wants everyone engaged, whether that’s enjoying smoked salmon from one of the food vendors or witnessing ceremonial dances to respect those who have gone before them. At the end of the day, it’s about bringing community together in a positive way.
“We welcome everyone who comes to our powwow with good intent,” Menihan says. “We open our door right up and welcome everyone, no matter race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. We’re looking forward to everyone, from all walks of life, sharing in our culture.”
Schemitzun, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Mashantucket Reservation; free event shuttle service at Foxwoods Casino from Fox Tower, Grand Pequot Tower, Great Cedar bus loop, Two Trees and Mashantucket Pequot Museum; $10 adults, $6 seniors and children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and under; 1-800-411-9671.