When engineering major Dimitri Lebkowski heard the news that the fry bread festival was canceled, he was sad and heartbroken because he always went to the annual event.
But Lebkowski was thrilled when he heard that a solution was found.
The fry bread festival, which was initially canceled by food services department on-site manager, Charles Siri, took place Tuesday on the Library Lawn.
The popular festival, which was sponsored by The Native American and the Circle K clubs, was initially canceled because Siri did not want students cooking food on campus because of health and safety reasons.
History professor and coordinator of the fry bread festival, Emily Rader, said The Native American club was shocked because the change of policy took them by surprise.
“The changes were tentative rules that were enforced last semester,” Rader said. “So we had to find a way to get it resolved.”
Siri was concerned about students cooking food on campus.
For festivals and fundraisers, Siri wanted students to either cook the food at home or to buy it somewhere else ready to be sold at school.
“For safety and health issues, they did not want students to cook the food at school,” Rader said. “It was because they were afraid that students might either burn themselves or because of other health issues.”
With the fry bread festival canceled, Rader and Native American Club president Lori Weinkauf wanted to get the issue resolved so the club could raise money for the eleventh-annual powwow festival at EC.
Rader and vice president of administration services, JoAnn Higdon, met with Siri and were able to come up with a solution.
Instead of students cooking food on campus, the food services department would cook the food on campus and the students would do the selling.
“We were able to come up with a solution,” Rader said. “We made a deal that ( the food services department) would cook and the students could sell. Also, we get 40 percent of the profits for the powwow.”
The fry bread festival took place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m on Tuesday.
The festival sold authentic Indian delicacies such as: Indian tacos, dessert fry bread and plain fry bread.
Fry bread is described as a puffy, tasty wheat-type Indian tortilla.
With 40 percent of the profits going to The Native American club, Weinkauf said she was thrilled to have the fry bread festival because it opened the doors for the powwow festival this weekend.
“I’m so glad that Siri and Higdon were able to find a solution,” Weinkauf said. “Now we can look forward to the powwow.”
The powwow is a celebration of Native American culture at EC.
It is a chance for everyone to get together and experience music, singing, Indian rigalias, which are a tribes’ native clothing and, of course, more frybread.
“It is a chance for people to just have a great time this weekend and enjoy Native American culture,” Weinkauf said. “People of all ages can dance, sing and eat fry bread. It will be fun.”
One of the events that Weinkauf described was the powwow grand entry of all the dancers at noon.
She said that is when all the tribes do a certain type of dance that is trademarked by that certain tribe.
“People will make it to the grand opening,” Weinkauf said. “Just to see all the dancers do their thing is really cool.”
People who go to powwow will also have a chance to craft their own hand-made jewelry.
“Another popular activity at the powwow are the handmade jewelry,” Weinkauf said. “It gives people the chance to wear authentic, hand-made necklaces and bracelets.”
The powwow will take place in the EC Track field from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday with the Gourd dance at 11 a.m.
It will take place from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday .
With the approval of the fry bread festival and the powwow festival this weekend, Lebkowski will sure to be smiling.
“I will have so much frybread this week, it’s crazy really,” Lebkowski said.
