Coffeyville Community College will sponsor “Rally in the Valley,” a youth competition and intertribal powwow, on Saturday March 9.  The head staff includes Master of Ceremonies, Titus Frenchman; Head Singer, John David Ballard; Head Man, Berwyn Moses, Jr.; Head Lady, Cynthia Moore; Head Boy, Arrow Lee Levier; Head Girl,Mi-Ko-Tiquah Pahmahmie; and Arena Director, Dude Blalock.

Titus Frenchman has sat with the center drum at many dances, danced with the Black Wolf gourd society, and served as the Master of Ceremonies in California, Arizona, Washington, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Kansas.  Most recently he was asked to be the MC at a benefit gourd dance for all Veteran's currently serving today.

“All songs have power.  This was taught to me by my family.  I was raised to respect the singers and dancers and my elders,” said Frenchman.  “I was raised by my parents, (Adam & Lillian Frenchman) and my grandmother, (Ollie Beaver Anderson).  My grandmother was fluent in our language and many linguists would come to record her.  She would tell stories her mother had told her about our people years and years ago.  She was born in Indian territory (Oklahoma) close to 1889 and listed her age at ninety-three before passing on in 1981.  My grandfather, (George Tom Anderson) was the nephew of John Wilson.  They both were instrumental in teaching and conducting the peyote way in and around Oklahoma. Some of the tribe's they visited were the Miami, Quapaw, Osage, and Pawnee people.  My mother grew up sitting behind her father in the peyote meetings sipping peyote tea.”
 
Frenchman is a member of the Black Wolf gourd society of the San Francisco Bay Area that was formed in the seventies during the radical days in the Bay Area.  He served in the US Navy on board a guided missile destroyer and worked on the electronic equipment associated with the Tartar missile system.  In four years he made two trips to Viet Nam, 1966-1970.  He graduated from the University of California, at Davis with a bachelor degree in Applied Behavioral Science and a qualified for a minor in Native American studies.  He is currently the President of the Council of Lenape Elders in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Head Man, Berwyn Moses, Jr. was given his Indian Name is Gawh-zhah-nongah (meaning, runs the middle) by his late grandfather Anthony Arkeketa. He is the 22-year-old son of Berwyn and Deliliah Moses Sr. of Pawnee, Okla. He is a proud member of the Numunu (Comanche) Tribes also a decedent from the Pawnee, Otoe, Ponca, Apache, Mescalero apache, Chauri Kiowa tribes. He is currently living in Lawrence, Kan. where he is a sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University Majoring in community health. He is also am a member of the Phi Sigma Nu Fraternity. He has two sisters Autumn Marie and Judiki Shere. He plans to continue his education at Haskell and transfer to Green Bay, Wisconsin and major in criminal justice.

“I would like to take the time to thank the Coffeyville student organization for selecting me,” said Moses.  “I’m grateful and very honored to have been selected as the 2013 Headman for this year’s celebration. wee-blah-hah.”

Head Lady Cynthia Moore is the eldest daughter of Michael and Hazel Moore. Her paternal grandparents are the late Wilson Fremont Moore and the late Virginia Edna Gourd-Moore of Pawnee. Her maternal grandparents are the late Freda Lee Kipp of Hominy and the late Edward Norris Pratt of Pawnee. She has one brother, Stuart, and one sister, Vanessa.

Cynthia is from the Hominy District and is Golden Eagle Clan. She is of the Pawnee, Osage and Blackfeet tribes. From a young age, she has participated in the Osage I’n-Lon-Schka dances. She also enjoys attending St Joseph Catholic Church and Native American Church.

Head Girl, Mi-Ko-Tiquah Pahmahmie is a 16-years old member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.  Her English name is Sierra. She is a member of the Potawatomi Drum religion, her color is blue and her clan is fish. She lives with her family on the reservation in Mayetta, Kansas. Her parents are Alan “Boney” and Brenda Pahmahmie. She is in the 10th grade at Royal Valley High School.

She has been a member of the Royal Valley Singers and Dancers most of her life. In 2008, she received the Title VII All-Around Student of the Year Award. She served for Two reigns as the American Legion Post #410 WE-Ta-Se Princess in 2008 and 2099.  She is an active member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Boys & Girls Club. She enjoys volunteering with many of the club’s activities and enjoys assisting the junior youth with traditional beading. She is also involved with many school and community sports, such as softball, basketball, track, volleyball, tennis and golf.

Head Boy Arrow Lee Levier was born to Edgar Lee Levier and Jodi Renae Jessepe on February 4, 1998 in Topeka, Kan.  Arrow was given his Potawatomi Indian name “Kish Kwe” after his great uncle Edward Jessepe.   Arrow has two younger sisters Aislen and Justina.  Arrow is 15-years-old sophomore at Royal Valley High and is very athletic.  His favorite sport is basketball and his team has lost only three games this season.  After this event Arrow is looking forward to dancing at the Denver March Pow Wow.

Arrow has been grass dancing since very young age and now dances with the Royal Valley Singers and Dancers, a group that travels all over Kansas to perform at different schools and events.  It is a very big honor to serve as head boy dancer as Arrow has been head boy dancer several times in Oklahoma and Kansas.  Arrow's mentor has been his grandfather Joe Jessepe as he has been teaching Arrow the Potawatomi tradition and history.  Arrow is ¼ Cheyenne and his maternal grandmother is a full blood Cheyenne member of 15,000.  His grandmother is very fluent in the Cheyenne language and is also teaching Arrow the language and the history of the Cheyenne.

Head Singer John David Ballard, (Shawnee, Peoria, Ottawa and Cherokee) is the 20 year-old son of John R. Ballard and Joyce E. Proctor and the grandson of the late Bill and Oleta Ballard and the late Charlie and Sally Blalock. When he is not singing and learning new powwow and peyote songs, or traveling, he enjoys playing golf, texting, talking on the phone and spending time with my family and friends.  Most weekends you can find him at a powwow, stomp dance or Native American Church meeting.

Arena Director Dude Blalock is a member of the Absentee Shawnee and Peoria tribes.  He makes his home in Miami, Okla.  Blalock works in maintenance for the Delaware Tribe’s housing department.  He is a member of the local chapter of the Native American Church.  He enjoys spend time with friends and family, going to powwows, meetings, stomp dances, golf and fishing.

The Cherokee Nation Color Guard is recognized as the official color guard for the Cherokee Nation and will be presenting the colors for “Rally in the Valley”. Comprised of volunteer veterans, the organization is governed by a set of by-laws and led by elected officers. The group’s two-fold function is to:  a) present our colors in a proper, respectful manner and b) remind the general public of the service rendered to the country by American Indian/Cherokee veterans and current military personnel.

While Receiving assistance from the tribal government, the Cherokee Nation Color Guard remains and independent 501(c) (19) organization. The Cherokee Nation has awarded members of the Color Guard with both the Council’s Warrior Medal and the Cherokee National Medal of Patriotism. The group has also been designated as Ambassadors for the Cherokee people by the Nation’s Youth Choir.  Membership in the group is open to any honorably discharged American Indian veteran of any branch of service. Current National Guard or active military are also eligible for membership.

Doors open to the public at noon. The event will be held in the Nellis West Gym on the CCC main campus.  The youth competition Grand Entry will begin at 1 p.m.  During the youth competition, students from various schools will compete individually and as a team.   At 4:30 p.m., a hand drum competition will be held with a $250 cash prize.  Gourd Dancing will begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the adult grand entry.  There will be men’s and women’s contests.  Concessions will be available throughout the powwow.  For vendor or contest information please contact the Native American Leadership Coach at CCC, Taylor Davis at 620-251-7700 ext. 2092 or at [email protected].