Gift of the Waters Pageant, Discovery Days planned for first weekend in August

Two local events, that will be well attended by visitors and locals alike, are being planned for the first weekend in August

Gift of the Waters Pageant

“Moccasined feet of Indians trod the paths surrounding the Big Horn Hot Springs long before the coming of the first white man.” These words open the “History of the Spring” written by Jessie L. Duhig and are found in the program for the annual Gift of the Waters Historic Pageant that will be performed at 6 p.m. on August 5 and 6.

The Pageant honors when members of the Shoshone and Arapahoe nations ceded 10 acres of land, which includes the Big Horn Hot Springs, to the US Government. As part of the treaty, Chief Washakie put a clause in the treaty which provided that a portion of the Hot Springs be available free for public use.

According to the official pageant program, “It is in observance of the giving of the waters of the Big Spring to the whites,” Duhig wrote, “that Indians gather with their white brothers around Bah-gue-wana to present the pageant, ‘Gift of the Waters.’ ”

The Pageant is free to the public.

An Indian Taco fundraiser starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, August 4 at the VFW. The Tacos have been very well received by the community, and the Committee appreciates all those who attend.

For more information or to volunteer to help with the pageant, contact Shasta Shafer at (307) 258-9861.

Still time to reserve a booth at Wyoming Discovery Days

Wyoming Discovery Days will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 5-6 in Hot Springs State Park. This popular folk festival will celebrate Wyoming’s unique cultural heritage through stories, music, food, art, and demonstrations. 

The festival showcases the creativity and handwork of Wyoming’s own storytellers, artists, craftsmen, and musicians. It includes a Storytelling Circle, music at the Pavilion, Fine Art and Folk Art Show, Trading Post, Folk Master Craftsmen Tent, artisan and guild demonstrations, hands-on activities for families, and a Rocky Mountain Food Court. 

“Music is Medicine” artist Christian Wallowing Bull, from the Northern Arapaho Tribe, will be performing this year.  Christian is a modern storyteller and rising in popularity quickly throughout the country.  He has a soulful voice that has been described as carrying thunder and the ancestry of his people which offers healing and restoration of the soul.  

Other artists of differing types of folk and traditional music will entertain and educate listeners.  The musical entertainment at Wyoming Discovery Days is always a huge hit. 

“For The Kids,” a full day lineup of activities for children and their families, begins at The Hear Me Now Storytelling Circle, which is always well received. Children will take center stage to help act out stories. The kids’ trail continues to the Art Activity Tent where families can play handmade musical instruments, create a craft to take home, and learn to rope like a cowboy. 

The festival is open to the public without charge for attendance.

If you are an interested vendor, visit their website at wyomingdiscoverydays.org for an entry form and submit by Friday, July 14. There is a fee.