P.G. YMCA Indian Guides and Princesses
Bowie, Maryland

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March 2003                                         Patuxent Nation
 
 

You can finally feel that spring is here!  I think everyone is very happy that Spring has arrived.  The flowers are sprouting and buds are on the trees.  Robins are looking for trees to build nests in.  Soon Spring vacation will be here.  What are you going to do on your vacation?

What a wonderful “Feast of the Hungry Moon” Pancake Breakfast we had.  We had a total of 27 people come out on a chilly wet morning.  15 Indians and 12 parents showed up for a delicious meal of pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, and donuts.  It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had.  I enjoyed seeing everyone together having a good time!  I also want to especially thank Bald Eagle (Norm), Winter Moon (Phil), and Firefly (Jeff) for the fantastic cooking.

We were also visited by Chipper the Clown, who entertained us with songs, jokes, magic, and balloons!  My favorite part was the showing the pictures of her family.  What was your favorite part? 




We also had a great sign-up for our upcoming camping trips.  Space is getting very tight, so if you haven’t signed up, please let me know. 

Our 1st camping trip is to Camp Conowingo on May 17th and 18th., we’ve had a few good snow storms.  Camp Conowingo is located in Northeast Maryland on the banks of the Susquehanna River.  Did you know that almost 400 years ago, the Susquehannock Indian tribe lived in the nearby area? 

 It was Captain John Smith who met this tribe and gave them the name “Susquehannocks” meaning “people of the muddy river”.  The Susquehannocks built stockaded villages and lived in multi-family longhouses, measuring 60 to 80 feet in length.  At one point, the Susquehannocks numbered between 5,000 and 7,000 Indians and lived in 20 different villages.  They were an alert, well-organized, military people and great traders.  The Susquehannocks left behind many arrowheads, carvings on rocks and other artifacts for us to study of their tribe.

Our 2nd camping trip is to Camp Letts.  It is located on a beautiful inlet off the Chesapeake Bay.  The land was given to the YMCA over 75 years ago by John Letts so that boys and girls would always have a place to experience the outdoors.  Don’t be surprised if you see a deer walk by in front of your cabin.  Events planned for include canoeing,  horseback riding, our Indian Olympics, turtle races, campfires, an ice cream social, and much much more! 
 



Upcoming Nation Event  – The whole family is invited!!!

Our next All-Nation event will be on Saturday, April 5th  at Watkins Regional Park.  There are so many exciting things we can do!   We’ll start at Watkins Nature Center.   Watkins Nature Center offers something for everyone……live native owls, hawks, reptiles, and amphibians. 

We’ll then have a  BYOPL   (Bring Your Own Picnic Lunch).    After lunch, we’ll then go over to the Old Maryland Farm, also located in Watkins Regional Park, where we can feed many farm animals.  Between 1:00 and 1:30 there are pony rides. 

If you aren’t tired yet, we can then take a short hike to the Beaver Pond!

So Mark you Calenders……Saturday April 5th @ 11:00am to ~ 1:30pm

Here are a few good ones!

Why did the dog go sit in the shade? .............Because he didn't want to be a "hot-dog"! 

What do you call a two knee fish? .........................................................................A twoneefish 
 

If I have a bee in my left hand and a bee in my right hand, what do I have in my eye?

 .......................Beauty (beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder!)
What do you get when you have a bird, a car and a dog? ...........................A flying carpet

What do frogs drink? .................................................................................................Croak a cola

Why did the turtle cross the road? ................................................To get to the Shell Station

Why did the cookie go to the hospital? ..........................................Because he felt crummy.

How do you make friends with a squirrel? ..................Climb up a tree and act like a nut!!

Pictograph Story

Below is a Pictograph.   To read this story, which is normally written on a hide, you begin in the center and read to the left, following the circular course to the end.  The Sioux made this form of story telling.  The written story is on the following page.  See if you can follow the story along on the Pictograph!

A Trader’s Journey
Interpretation of Above Pictographic Story

     An Indian trader by the name of Little Crow went on a journey. He traveled for three nights until he came to a river. The reason he traveled at night was because he was in enemy country. At the river he secured a canoe, camped there that evening, and at sunrise the next morning started down the river and traveled two suns (days).

     He now traveled in daytime, because he was in friendly territory. He was an Indian trader in shells, which were used for wampum and ornamentation. At the end of the fifth day’s travel he reached the village where the shells were obtainable. He rested there for three days in conference with the chief, and as a result he traded for a large amount of shells, and at sunrise on the fourth day he loaded his canoe and started down the river and traveled for two days. 

     On the second day a storm came up, with rain and lightning. He saw the lightning strike a tree and set it afire. As a result of the storm he became sick, so he searched and found some medicinal plants and waited there a couple of days until he felt better. 

     He then traveled at night and hid away in the daytime. He knew that the country abounded in game because he heard foxes and wolves. He finally reached home, though some days late. Twenty braves of the tribe came out to meet him, including their chief, Standing Bear. Their hearts were glad as a result of his safe and successful trip, and they all had a very sociable time.