Intertribal Life Newspaper -

Every year I celebrate the Kickapoo New Year. It comes randomly on a different date every year so my family and friends never know when they'll get a call from me saying, "Happy New Year!" The Kickapoo New Year begins when you hear the first thunder in the Spring (usually in February), but only if the ground has thawed enough that you can stick your finger into it up to the first knuckle. If the ground hasn't thawed, you have to wait for the next thunder. In the old days, the Kickapoo would celebrate the New Year by building new Wickiups and feasting and dancing for four days.

The Cherokee...