Event To Focus on French, Native History
Rendezvous at the Straits Planned for Next Weekend at St. Ignace Fr. Marquette Park

At left: Timothy Kent, an independent scholar and lecturer from Ossineke, will discuss French voyageur history during the inaugural Rendezvous at the Straits French Voyageur Reenactment and Powwow to be held at Father Marquette Park August 25 and 26. Mr. Kent has written a comprehensive overview of the area known as Michilimackinac. (The St. Ignace News file photograph)

A Rendezvous at the Straits French Voyager Reenactment and Powwow, a family event celebrating the history of the St. Ignace area, will take place Saturday, August 25, and Sunday, August 26, at Father Marquette Memorial Park in St. Ignace. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for elders and students. There will be no charge for children younger than 12.

Within view of the Mackinac Bridge, Native American and French-style encampments will bring history to life to celebrate the cultural traditions of the Straits. Historical reenactors, including noted voyageur historian Timothy Kent, will be present.

The event "will bring together the triangle of history," said organizer Darryl Brown, explaining that Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City events often focus on British and colonial history. The powwow and rendezvous in St. Ignace will tie in the third, major historical component, the area's Native and French fur trading traditions.

Members of both French and Native encampments will wear authentic period dress from 1690 through 1770 and possibly 1800 through 1850. Essentially, organizers say, this is a combination of two events in one place, with activities such as demonstrations of Native and French cooking, French woodworking, Native and French sewing, including Native sinew production, displays of transportation methods, such as birch bark and dugout canoes, snowshoes, and toboggans, and a display of a traditionally built Mackinaw boat, with an explanation of Native youth sail training.

Further demonstrations include sewing cattail mats with cordage made of inner basswood bark, creating birch bark containers, brain-tanning deer hides, and making wampum shell beads. Storytelling and flute playing will also take place.

Homemade items will be for sale on a trade blanket. Native arts and crafts will be sold, and traditional food will be available.

Mr. Kent, an independent scholar and lecturer from Ossineke, will discuss French voyageur history. Mr. Kent has written a comprehensive overview of the area known as Michilimackinac. His book focuses equally on both sides of the Straits, reported Mr. Brown. Twice, Mr. Kent has received the State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan.

Native American interpreter Keith Knecht will present typical Odawa clothing of the 1770s and Michigan's earliest residents and Native way of life.

Brother Jim Boynton will speak about early church history, Father Jacques Marquette, and he will play the fiddle.

Celebrated in the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians community, the Bahweting Singers and Drum Group will serve as host drummers for the event. Drum keeper Bud Biron is coordinating the powwow portion of the celebration, and organizers encourage youth dancers to participate.

The rendezvous portion of the event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by a ceremonial Native American entry at 1 p.m. The powwow will continue until about 8 p.m. Sunday's schedule will be approximately the same. It will begin winding down around 4:30 p.m.

The family event is to be alcohol and drug free. It is sponsored by the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau Special Events Committee, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce, and the Michilimackinac Historical Society.

Volunteers are sought to help with the event. For more information, contact Mr. Brown at (906) 635-6050.