BY MARY WICOFF
Commercial-News
DANVILLE — Moviegoers who enjoyed “Pocahontas” will have a chance to meet the actress behind the voice this week.
Irene Bedard, a well-known Native American actress and singer, will attend National Powwow 14, which starts Wednesday. She will be available to sign autographs and copies of her videos, although exact times have not been set.
Also appearing will be the Cozad Singers from Oklahoma, who will perform traditional Kiowa songs, and the Young Kingbird Singers from Minnesota.
Having such well-known native entertainers come to Danville is exciting, said Craig Jones, chairman of the National Powwow.
“It makes it a special event, not only for the spectators, but for people coming from all over the country,” he said.
National Powwow is a celebration of Native American culture, music and dancing, presented every three years. This is the third time Danville has been chosen to host the event, which draws dancers, singers and craftspeople from across the country.
John and Barbara Dreher of Danville are the local organizers.
Barbara agreed that it’s a coup to get such well-known entertainers, such as Bedard, to come to the powwow. Powwows are largely the same, she said, so it’s good to offer something different.
“It’s shaping up to be a real good one,” she said of this week’s event.
Jones said the head dancers have been selected on their abilities and knowledge of native culture, and some of the best in the country will be here this week.
Bedard will have a table set up, selling videos and T-shirts. She also will discuss her youth mentoring and leadership organization, Foundation for the Future of the Seventh Generation. The program uses the performing and media arts to build self-esteem in Native American youth.
Bedard and her husband, Deni, have a band that performs original contemporary music with traditional native, Gaelic and American roots.
Bedard, an Inupiat and Cree-French Canadian, has starred in more than 42 movies. She’s probably best known as the voice and likeness for Walt Disney’s animated film, “Pocahontas.” She appeared in a different take of the story in the 2005 film “The New World,” as Pocahontas’ mother.
Her first role was as Mary Crow Dog in the television production “Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee.” In 2005 she was cast in the television mini-series “Into the West,” portraying the half-Lakota, half-white adult Margaret “Light Shines” Wheeler.
She was chosen as one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People for 1995.
The Cozad Singers, a Kiowa singing group, has been making music for generations and has released countless recordings with Sweetgrass Records. The group is familiar in powwow circles, and has had an enormous impact on Native American culture, Jones said.
Young Kingbird Singers will perform songs from its latest release “On the Warpath,” available on iTunes. The group has a contemporary style, Jones said, adding, “It will be a real pleasure to listen to.
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Powwows go back to the 1800s, Jones said, with people traveling to visit other tribes and joining in their dances. In modern day, native people still travel to regional powwows.
“It was eventually determined to have a special event to have everyone celebrate together,” he said, noting every three years seemed like a good timetable. Regional powwows continue to be held every year.
This is the 40th year for the National Powwow. Danville was host in 1975 and 2005.
Referring to 2005, Jones said, “Things went so well, we decided we’d come back.
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COMING UP
National Powwow 14 starts Wednesday night and continues through Saturday at the Vermilion County Fairgrounds
