By Kalvin D. Perron
Staff Reporter
BAY MILLS — When Bay Mills Community College's Director of Native American Studies Mike Willis met the “boys” of the Bear Creek drum in 1999, he knew right away he had finally met someone as passionate as he is about singing. Their youthful exuberance and desire to succeed was enough to win Willis over, and he joined the Rankin, Ontario group.
Willis began singing and drumming after the death of Carl Cameron, Sr. He was approached by his son Carl Cameron, Jr. and Keith Cameron and asked if he would sing at the funeral. Willis said he had so much respect for Cameron, Sr. that he would do anything to honor him. As Willis sang the Veteran's Honor Song at the funeral he was in awe with the feelings that overcame him.
“I felt like I finally had a sense of belonging,” he said. “I will never forget that feeling.”
Willis immediately began singing with local drum, Waishkey Bay, and became addicted to the sensation he felt when he was performing. The group performed at various school seminars and workshops in the area after what he called the “revival of Native American culture” began to peak. “It seemed everyone was intersted in our culture at the time,” he said.
After a brief stint with Waishkey Bay, Willis joined local the Rainbow Singers and the group began hitting the pow wow trail. He remained with the Rainbow Singers until the group dismantled in 1998. Not wanting to stop singing, Willis joined Bear Creek and has been with the group ever since.
“We are a very competetive group,” said Willis. “Our main focus is winning at competition pow wows.”
In the five years Willis has been performing with Bear Creek, the group has travelled all over North America and Canada. In the eight competition pow wows they participated in this summer, the group placed first in all but two.
Their most recent performance was at the Schemitzun (Feast of Green Corn and Dance) Pow Wow, hosted by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, in North Stonington, Conn., Aug. 26-29. The four-day event consisted of 26 drums vying for the top spots in the two divisions: northern singers contest and southern singers contest. The two categories were created because of the distinct differences between the two styles — northern singers tend to sing higher, compared to the lower voices of the southern-style singers. Finalists from each division then competed for an overall winner.
Bear Creek finished second in their division and won third place overall at the “World Championship of Native American song and dance,” which Schemitzun is commonly referred to. High Noon, a group from Alberta, Canada, took home the top spot at the contest.
“We all thought we would win,” Willis said. “Then again, every drum thinks they are going to win. I have much respect for High Noon, though. They are a classy group of guys.”
The group, who formed in 1998, consists of 13 core singers, but adds additional singers to their lineup occasionally, depending on the pow wow at which they are performing. The drum core singers include: Mike Tegoosh, Justin Perreault, Rob Essex, Kevin Syrette, Joe Syrette, Jon Syrette, Nick Hewson, Mike Willis, Rodney Stanger, Andrew Nahwahgabow, Mz Thomas, Gabe Gaudet, Chad St. Louis, and Wayne Silas, Jr.
Although the larger competition pow wows are done for the year, the group is currently performing in California without Willis. Because of work and family, Willis cannot attend all the events his drum competes in.
8220;I would like to thank all of our families and the entire community for supporting us and allowing us to do what we do,” he said. “It is quite taxing at times, but I would not give it up for anything.”
Photo courtesy Mike Willis
Bear creek is shows performing the Victory Song at a pow wow in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., earlier this summer. Those shows (L-R) are: Nick Hewson, Mike Tegoosh, Leroy Brown, Andrew Nahwahgabow, Mike Willis, and unknown guest singer from Northern Cree, Jon Syrette, Rodney Stanger, Kevin Syrette, Joe Syrette and Jsutin Perrault.
