COVID-19 complicates normal summer fun routine
By LUCIE KRISMAN
N.D. Newspaper Association
During what normally would have been the beginning of a busy season, Jeff Baker of Rez Famous Lemonade on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation is kicking off June with local lemonade sales to drive-up customers.
Summer on the reservation in north-central North Dakota is typically busy for Baker with weekend powwows and the occasional car show or community event. While he normally expects about 16 weekend business opportunities between April and November, this summer is different.
“Our main venue is weekend powwows,” Baker said. “Now, basically 100% of those have gone away. That’s 95% of my business, other than midweek selling.”
Delvin Cree of New Town, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band, said smaller powwows were held when he was younger and would be a beneficial possible alternative after the loss of the annual big powwows this summer.
“I know in my family we have several dancers and I kind of would like to see them have a small powwow like we did decades ago,” Cree said. “Today we have the pandemic that is preventing us from having gatherings and we have the (protest) situation in Minneapolis. We dance as a prayer for everyone. In a sense, that’s how we pray.”
