Saratoga resident Chris “Chilly” Rollison shows spectators how sturdy the structure of a tipi is. Rollison also taught the audience how to identify tipi rings and what one can learn from them.
The Saratoga Museum’s event aimed to bring more culture to the museum in an entertaining way was deemed a success after more than 100 people enjoyed four fun-filled events Saturday.
“I think it was a wonderful turnout,” said the museum’s director Kim Givens, who helped plan and organize the event. “I wish more people would have taken advantage of the day.”
Festivities for the “Celebration of Custom and Culture” started at 10 a.m. with a dedication to Donald Erickson, Debbie Chaanstain and Ada Jackson. All three did great things for the museum.
The day proceeded with Roy Pilcher, of Devils Tower, who carves bears, owls and other animals out of wood using mainly chainsaws.
Spectators watched as Pilcher turned regular wood stumps into works of art. He made a bear for his first piece. He then carved an owl and then another bear out of a larger piece of wood.
Spectators then moved to the back of the museum to learn how to set up a tipi and the significance of the process. The person who demonstrated was Saratoga resident Chris “Chilly” Rollison.
With two volunteers, Rollison quickly set up his own tipi while explaining the religious significance of certain aspects of the process. One being when he wrapped the standing tipi poles with rope. He said Native Americans always wrapped their poles four times because the number was very sacred to them, one reason being that was the number of seasons.
Rollison also demonstrated the sturdiness of the Native American lodge by putting all his weight on a rope hanging from the center of the structure. Rollison said one could easily hang an elk from the structure.
He finished the tipi by putting the canvas on, and answered questions about the difference between tipis and, by finding tipi rings, could determine who made it and when it was set up.
“His knowledge of Native Americans is really profound,” Givens said, who also watched Rollison set up the tipi Saturday.
The day finished with dessert, dinner and a show.
Jessica Flock, of Laramie, demonstrated her Dutch oven cooking skills while spectators helped themselves to a hot dog dinner. Flock prepared the dessert, triple berry dump cake cobbler, which spectators enjoyed before the Flores de Colores, a dance troupe from Cheyenne, entertained the crowd.
Flock, before the dance show, presented the history of the Dutch oven and her personal experience with Dutch oven cooking.
Flock started using the Dutch oven about 35 years ago, when her family went on a whitewater rafting experience.
Givens said the combination of the dinner, dessert and dancing was “a good high-ended ending to a great day.”
Givens said the idea of the event was a collaboration with herself and former Saratoga Museum Board Member Ruth Hackett.
Givens said she was pleased with the turnout for the event’s first year, but hopes more people show up next year.
Givens is already planning the 2014 “A Celebration of Custom and Culture”, and has a blacksmith artist set to display for next year’s festivities.
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