WELLS — A curved rainbow in the sky on Saturday mirrored the sacred circle where American Indians danced and sang during the 12th annual “Val Ranco” Powwow at the Wells Harbor Park.

The powwow is named for the late Valentine Ranco, who grew up on the Penobscot Indian Reservation in Old Town and together with her husband owned the Indian Moccasin Shop on Route 1 in Wells.

The event began at dawn, when the firekeeper started the sacred fire. The firekeeper was responsible for keeping the fire going all night and into Sunday until 5 p.m., when the powwow was scheduled to end.

“If that fire goes out, it’s over,” said Sandy Chase, a member of the Micmac tribe and the treasurer of the New Hampshire Intertribal American Indian Council that put on the powwow. “Without fire, there’s no powwow.”

Both mornings, there was flute playing and story telling. The major event of the powwow each day began at noon with grand entry into the sacred circle, where people danced and sang in time with the beat of the accompanying drummers.

Before entering the circle, participants must receive a smudging of ash from the sacred fire by the firekeeper.

Master of ceremonies Peter Newell told people when it was time to enter the circle and the purpose of each dance.

The dozens of people entering the circle were dressed in various types of attire, some in the traditional clothing of their culture and others in more modern dress.

Within the sacred circle, American Indians take part in a ceremony that is many centuries old.

The purpose of the American Indian powwows in Wells and elsewhere ”“ there’s one somewhere every weekend ”“ said Chase, “is to bring awareness to the public that we are still here.”

“A lot of natives come who want to learn,” she said.

While people were setting up on Friday, said Chase, “a man was driving by with his kids. He said his grandmother was Cherokee and he said he wanted his kids” to learn about their culture. Chase said the man and his children planned to stop by when the powwow was taking place.

Newell said teaching both American Indians and others about the culture is an important part of the powwow.

At powwows, “people can come and hear the real stories,” he said. “History has never been really kind to Native Americans.”

Learning about the culture is especially important in the eastern part of the U.S., said Newell. Because of the early settlement by white people in the eastern section of the country, “eastern (native) people lost their traditions real early,” said Newell.

White people “tried to push (native people) out or take over,” he said. “It didn’t happen.”

Today, said Newell, there are members of more than 25 native tribes living in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Powwows as a teaching tool are important, he said, because many who have ties to these tribes didn’t grow up on reservations, learning the culture of their ancestors.

Like many American Indians today, Chase said she didn’t know about her heritage growing up.

“I knew my great-great-grandfather married someone who was Micmac,” she said. “But I always felt Micmac in my heart.”

Jennifer Lee, who is a descendent of the Narragansett tribe, said she also didn’t know much about her culture growing up. As a child, the only hints she had of her heritage was when her grandmother used American Indian names for different plants, or when she referred to Christopher Columbus as a “genocidal scoundrel.”

As an adult, Lee has learned more about her American Indian heritage and embraced it.

“This is my community,” she said, and “to be able to part of the community means everything to me.

“I love my culture,” said Lee.

She noted some of the values that are important to American Indians include spirituality, respect of elders, and celebrating at powwows without the use of drugs and alcohol.

“We live in a good way,” she said.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.