The 50th Annual Delaware Pow Wow, by Mary Watters

War Mothers Entry – When they came in, I was particularly proud of our Granddaughter, Jennifer Revard. She came in and I’m sure you noticed her headdress. Her Aunt made this for her because she doesn’t have any hair yet. She’s been through a very bad year of breast cancer and so her hair hasn’t completely started to grow back in yet. She wanted to dance and she wanted to wear her traditional dress, “so you know I can’t dance without something on my head” and our ansipelaona doesn’t cover all your hair, just the back. So anyway Laura did some research and she found a picture of Susan Elkhair in some of the papers of the history of the Delaware. Laura ordered a hat, a top hat, and bought a little sheet of metal. She got some creepers to cut the metal. She fixed a band around this hat. She got feathers to go around the band. A friend helped with the feathers that decorated this hat. And this hat is what Jennifer wore. It created a stir because this had not been seen in years and years. She was very proud to wear it and represent the Elder Delaware. That night afterwards, Mike Pace, whose mother was from the Elkhair family, presented Jennifer with a broach that had belonged to Susan Elkhair and had been passed down through generations to him. He ended up with it and he gave it to Jennifer. So it was really an emotional and happy time because she told us all “Thank You” for this past year what she’s been through and what her friends and family and relatives have helped her and she said “it’s over and I won”! And this was really a special moment for me and this moment that we had our honor dance as Gilbert and I were picked as “Honor Elders” and we were led in by our grandsons, great grandsons and grandsons- in- law. They reached across the arena in front of us as we came in and then we had about, I can’t remember how many came and shook hands with us and how they made us feel completely honored. It was one of the most special moments in our lives and we appreciate everybody that was there and everybody that came and shook hands with us. It was a wonderful, wonderful Pow Wow to me.

Jennifer Revard with her headdress, flanked by Mary and Gilbert Watters.

Susan Elkhair wearing the original headdress.