“The Heart Butte Society Celebration is traditional,” said Clarence “Googs” Comes At Night Monday, August 7. “We seek the elders' advice for prayers to make it right. The grounds will probably be blessed on Friday with the elders and the Crazy Dogs.” Comes At Night is the chairman of the HBSC Committee and oversees the 15th annual celebration this year.
From the first Grand Entry at 7 p.m. Thursday, August 10, to the annual Veterans versus Crazy Dog Stick Game Sunday, the emphasis is on tradition and on respect.
“I'd like to remind people to extend all the courtesies, especially to the elders,” said HBSC Committee member Gerald Cooper. “A lot of the time they're taken for granted.” Cooper said there's been a lot of work done, improving the Stick Game area, clearing it and putting in fresh gravel, and the Dance Arbor is up and freshly painted. He noted Blackfeet Councilwoman Betty Cooper's is the first camp to go up this year. Star Link Cable will televise the celebration, Cooper said.
“We tried something new,” said Comes At Night, “and we're waiting for Friday evening to start the points so travelers have an opportunity to get ahead. It used to be Thursday, but that gave the locals an advantage.” All contests, including the drumming contests, will start accumulating points at the 7 p.m. Grand Entry Friday evening. “A lot of money goes out in the specials, too,” he added.
Comes At Night said a staff of three to four people will work the announcers' stand, toting up the points per dancer and keeping track. “We're looking at buying a computer,” Comes At Night said, “but Mary [Cooper] and Vera [Weaselhead] are doing all the paperwork. They keep track of all the bills and records of people paying their fees. We return all the revenue we make to the Tribe. The Tribe is always happy with the Heart Butte [Society Celebration] Committee.”
All the teepees are paid, and showers are available from 7 to 11 a.m. every day at the Heart Butte School. In case of bad weather, activities will move to the school as well.
Dance contests, giveaways and honorings fill the Dance Arbor daily while a number of other activities are going on. In sports, the James Running Crane Memorial Coed Softball Tournament begins Friday, August 11, and runs through Sunday. There's time until 1 p.m. Thursday to sign up a team by calling Merlin Running Crane at 338-3511, Patricia Still Smoking at 338-3511 or Janice Running Crane at 338-4185.
A four-person golf scramble honoring Jerry Matt is set for Friday and Saturday, with a 9 a.m. shotgun start both days. A grand door prize of a trip for two to the Dancing Rabbit Golf Course in Choctaw, Mississippi, is matched by prizes in the tourney paying around $4,200 total, said Grinnell Day Chief of the golf committee. For more information about the golf tournament, call 338-2277 or Lionel Kennerly at 450-8207.
The Road Warrior Classic lines up for running competition at 9 a.m. and starts at 10 a.m. Friday while the Southern Piegan Diabetes Project Fun Run gets underway at 8 a.m. Saturday. The Bullshoe Pony Express horse races will run at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Saturday's also the day for the annual HBSC Parade. All the riders and floats line up at 10 a.m. south of the fire hall on Heart Butte's main street, and the procession will get underway at 11. Grand Entry for the afternoon arrives right after the parade, and a suitable interval for lunch, at 1 p.m.
A $10,000 pot has been raised for the Hand Game Tournament going on during the Celebration, and everyone looks forward to Sunday and the intensely played Stick Game Tournament between the Blackfeet Veterans and the Crazy Dog Society. With pots in the past having reached as much as $24,000, not only the playing but also the posturing beforehand are well worth experiencing.
“The Heart Butte Committee is all volunteers,” said Comes At Night. Besides himself, the group includes Robert Mad Plume, Vera Weaselhead, Pat Calf Boss Ribs, Lucky Whitegrass, Gerald Cooper, Ron LaDue, Karen Davis, Philip Paul, Debbie Paul, Maynard Kicking Woman, Mike Comes At Night, Dr. Dorothy Still Smoking, Arlan Edwards and Delma Vielle.
Breakfast can be found starting at 7 a.m. Saturday with the Weatherwax family, and at 7 a.m. Sunday with the Running Cranes. Both are observed in honor of their family members.
Join HBSC emcees Jay St. Goddard, Earl Old Person and Arnold Calf Boss Ribs at the dance arbor for the 15th annual Heart Butte Society Celebration.
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