Chasco's opener dedicated to American Indian heritage

For the first time in its 81 years, Chasco Fiesta will open with "Native American Night" and continue with a five-day "Native American Festival" and dance competition followed by daily educational programs and presentations given by American Indians on Monday through March 30.

Although the fiesta is based on a legend about the now-extinct Calusa, it wasn't until eight years ago that American Indians were invited to participate in the festival.

"This year it's really different," said Pete Altman, former mayor of New Port Richey, now county commissioner and chairman of the Native American Committee for Chasco. Altman has been instrumental in getting American Indians involved since the mid 1990s.

"Opening night will be dedicated to Native Americans, and they will be there for the entire Chasco Fiesta," he said.

Katrina Big Mountain, a Cree from Ocala, and Bobby Henry, a Seminole elder and spiritual leader from Tampa, have been instrumental in putting together the expanded Indian involvement, Altman said. Both will be part of the programs today and in the coming days.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Bill Miller, a Mohican from the Mahicanuk tribe in northern Wisconsin, will headline tonight's opening show in the amphitheater in Sims Park at 7:30.

Miller, who won five awards in the 2000 Native American Music Awards competition for his album Ghost Dance, will perform songs from that release, as well as his newest album, Spirit Rain. The new album includes Never Too Far, which celebrates the divine glory of sky, prairie, mountain and rain. Miller also sings blues and plays traditional flute and drum, with chants.

His performance will be preceded by American Indian dancers in regalia.

The dance competition will be Friday through Monday and features the Iron Mountain Dancers, Aztec Fire Dancers, intertribal dancing, storytelling, arts, crafts and American Indian food. Master of ceremonies will be Little Deer Big Mountain, who is Comanche-Mohawk. Head judge is Blaine Thomas, who is Chippewa. Arena director is Daniel Tramper, a Cherokee. Host drums are Good Heart, from Oklahoma, with guest drums by Standing Eagle Drum of South Dakota.

Monday through March 30, the Indians will present educational programs from noon until 8 p.m. Starting at noon, there will be successive presentations including "Living on the Plains," the history of the horse and the native people, flute playing by award-winning flutist Tommy Wildcat, dance and drum presentations, poet Ron Colombe (Lakota), storyteller Billy Lacey (Cherokee) and Aztec dancers.

An alligator program will be held at 1 and 5 p.m. March 28-30.

Grand entries, in which dancers enter the ring in full regalia, will be at 8 p.m. Friday, noon and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Chasco's other continuing event is the the carnival by Orange Lake, which is open 5 to 10 p.m. today and next Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m Sundays.

The stated purpose of Chasco Fiesta is to raise money for more than 30 nonprofit or charitable organizations.

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