Vinyard Indian Settlement observes Mid-Winter Feast

The Vinyard Indian Settlement at Herod will be hosting its annual Mid-Winter Feast Days on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.

In older days, this feast symbolized the end of former days with all their trials and tribulations, the beginning of a new sense of life and hope for the future. Often, children born in the former days received their childhood names at this time, and stories were told to ensure continuance of traditions and historical events, according to a release from the VIS.

For those of the VIS, this event is one of those that has continued since historical times. As the settlement renews family connections, the members feel that these events must continue on to the younger citizens and conducted annually, according to the release.

The main portion of the feast days will take place in the early afternoon on Sunday. The feast is free and open to the public. All visitors and community citizens, who wish, may bring a covered dish and are encouraged to bring foods from gardens of the past summer. The settlement asks visitors to consider traditional foods even when thinking of desserts. The settlement invites descendants who have not yet taken the steps to investigate their first history.

The website vinyardindiansettlement.com is in need of updating as the descendants uncover more historical records of its past in Southern Illinois. The settlement asks for the help of relatives and community people who have memories, stories, photographs and connections with the history of the Vinyard Indian Settlement.

For further information people may call (618) 264-5909, visit vinyardindiansettlement.com, e-mail bbushawnee@yahoo.com or view the Vinyard Indian Settlement Facebook site. The settlement is located 1 mile north of Herod on state Route 34. Look for the sign in the shape of a tomahawk.