Event to honor Mandan chief

"The Lewis and Clark Bicentennial isn't over until Sheheke gets home in 2009," said Tracy Potter, author of "Sheheke: Mandan Indian Diplomat," in announcing the annual Sheheke Returns event, Aug. 16-17, at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park.

"From a North Dakota perspective, the real story is about the family of North Dakotans who dared to travel with Lewis and Clark back to meet Thomas Jefferson."

Sheheke Returns '08 is a celebration of the exploits of On-a-Slant Village's most famous resident.

White Coyote, Sheheke-shote in the Mandan language, also was known to history as Big White, the Mandan chief who traveled with his wife and son to Washington,D.C., along with Lewis and Clark to meet President Jefferson in 1806.

This year's event features Sheheke family oral traditions with descendant Diane Medicine Stone, a flute performance by Matt Schanandore and story-telling in shadow puppets by Charles Blake, III.

All activities take place in the Council Lodge of On-a-Slant Village, the partially-reconstructed Mandan Indian village in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, seven miles south of Mandan on N.D. Highway 1806.

Medicine Stone, Schanandore and Blake are all of Mandan descent. The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is sending two rangers to make presentations as well.

Events start at 1 p.m. both days.