Today is the day!

We leave on a wonderful experience TODAY! It seems like it was just yesterday that this day was a year and a half away. Time has flown and now it's double down day.

We had full house for our last summer show last night with three Boy Scouts troops spending the night, a group of Lion Club Exchange students, representatives from Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, family, friends and many others.

You should have seen it. The hoop fire dance was "Wow" and we had more hoop dancers than I've ever seen at the Kiva. Everyone danced their hearts out and the crowd roared with appreciation.

Early this week, Monday night, we danced at Pilmont Scout Ranch, in Cimarron, New Mexico. Their were over two hundred people in the audience. One of the guest was Native American and we saw her singing and moving to the songs. One of our Chiefs asked her to dance with him in the round and two step. It was so cool to see her and know that she felt at home with us.

If you've never been to Philmont. You need to go. It's my favorite place, not just in Scouting but in feeling, atmosphere and beauty. I took my Woodbadge there at Zastro Lodge, three treks as a scout and 2 as a Scoutmaster. I have wonderful and long time friends there, including Doug Palmer on staff, Buddy Morse a long time Cimarron resident, brother Cherokee and scouter and more memories than I can relive in several life times.

Brian R. Gray, Director, Philmont Training Center has been a long time friend and supporter of the Kwahadis. We can't thank him enough for all he's done for us.

Philmont brings out the best in all who hike its trails and has the greatest people working there. GO and see for yourself.

We/I want to thank the Amarillo Globe-News ( check out Amariillo.com for stories on our tour), Margaret Meyers, Features Editor; Brad Newman, staff writer; Steve Pair, New Dircetor at KVII Pro News ( we hope to have Skype interviews along the way on KVII) in Amarillo; Lucas Jefferson, Assignment Editor for KVII Pro News; Mike Wilhelm, The Net Works; and Steve Douglas, fellow photographer, writer and web designer ( this could not of happend with Steve ) for all their help, support and encouragement.

Okay, I'm out the door and off the Kiva.

Come along with us and see what we see through our eyes and words.

John Madden

Another day, another dance, another night and return home

The Kwahadi's made another trip to Philmont to dance at the PTC (Philmont Training Center).

They presented their program, including a wide variety of dances, and asked those in attendance to dance with them in the "round dance and two step."

It is not our intent to pretend to be Native Americans. The most valuable use of the wonderful gifts of our Indian friends is that our knowledge be used to benefit our scouts and young people everywhere we travel.

So often people will come up to the Kwahadi's afterwards and say, 'I have Native American in my family, I've never seen such beautiful outfits (regalia), or enjoyed a program so much."

That's what we're about. Sharing, tradition, honor, heritage awareness, respect, and "Dancing for food." We say we dance for food (helps us pay our way), which helps us to share the wonderful dances of a proud nation.

Since 1944, sixty-five years, over 1600 boys and girls have gone through the Kwahadi Dancers. We have been to 48 states, including Hawaii, foreign countries and put on over 4,000 shows.

We are proud and privileged to do what we do.

The PTC offers organized programs for every member of a family, from little ones to spouses. All this while spouses are receiving training in many areas of Scouting.

Serving as the only national volunteer training center for the Boy Scouts of America since 1950, the Philmont Training Center (PTC) provides a unique environment for the training of volunteer and professional leaders. Each year, more than 6,000 Scouters and family members attend PTC.

Each conference features the latest tools and techniques, audiovisuals, discussions, idea sharing, and activities led by a faculty of experienced Scouters. Invitation to these conferences is upon recommendation of the local council or a national committee.

Prior to dancing they visited the Villa De Philmonte.

The Villa Philmonte is a large ranch manor located outside of Cimarron, New Mexico.

Philmont Scout Ranch is a large, rugged, mountainous ranch located near the town of Cimarron, New Mexico covering approximately of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico.

The Villa was built in 1926 by oil magnate Waite Phillips who used it to oversee his 300,000 acre (1,200 km²) cattle ranch in northeast New Mexico.

In addition to the Villa, Phillips built several other retreats on his ranch’s property, including Fish Camp on the Agua Fria Creek and a Hunting Lodge near Cimarroncito.

Phillips donated the Villa, along with of land and the Philtower office building in Tulsa to the Boy Scouts in 1941, supplementing a 1938 gift of that had created the Philturn Rocky Mountian Scoutcamp. The Boy Scouts of America retained
control over the property since that time. opening the Villa to Scouts and visitors alike as a museum; it is open for regularly-scheduled tours during the summer months.

Furnishings
The Villa is lavishly furnished, and retains many of Phillips’ original furnishings and collections, including particularly notable displays of antiques and weapons. The building features a large courtyard with a fountain in the center, large columns, and numerous porticoes. The interior was decorated using an eclectic mix of European, American, and Southwestern furnishings.

Call us, come see us, spend the night at our Kiva, and let us know if you are interested in having us come to your part of the world.

Charles (Ritchie at the Kiva) loves to talk and you'll enjoy talking to him.

Hop on the blog and go with us.-

John Madden

Steps towards European Tour

Step by step the Kwahadi's get ready for their European Tour.

Planning and lots of practice bring outstanding results. This season their theme is "Song of the Eagle." It includes dances from Mexico (Aztec dances) and traditional plains Indians.

The shows are presented at the Kiva June 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 20, 26, 27 and July 2, 9, 10, 11, 17 and 18. Not only can you catch a show, but visitors can also spend the night at the Kiva. It has showers, bathrooms and plenty of room to spread out a cot, air mattress or sleeping bag. How often can you "Spend the night in a Museum?"

Isn't there a couple movies out about that?

On the nights of show you can also get a meal. Check with Charles Ritchie through ( www.kwahadi.com ).

Prior to the shows they have a Parent night and dress rehearsal. It's a great experience as parents, family, guests and fellow Kwahadi's see their efforts coming together for a wonderful presentation.

The dancers, parents, family and friends work so hard and are extremely proud of their results. So will you!

Four times (June 8, 15, 22 and July 15), before leaving on tour, the Kwahadi's travel to Philmont Scout Ranch, at Cimarron, New Mexico to dance at the Training Center.

The June 8th trip was the 107th (we're fairly sure) to Philmont for the Kwahadi's and my first with them. We dance the day we get there, spend the night, load up the next day and return home. It's a fast but very scenic trip.

We saw over 200 antelopes both going and returning. Leaving we saw a small herd of Buffalo, If any herd of Buffalo is small, so to speak.

Philmont is my favorite Scout camp and place. I've been to Philmont on six treks and Woodbadge for a total of seven times.
Any time I can come up with an excuse to be in that part of Northeastern New Mexico, Philmont finds its way into my trip. Must be some kind of Scouting/Philmont magic that makes that happen.

If you're on your way to Philmont and traveling through Amarillo, call Charles about spending the night at the Kiva. Maybe you'll be there for a show.

Or if you're traveling back, stop by, spend the night, check out the museum, visit the trading post and feel the energy of the Kiva.

Step by step we move towards our European Tour 2009.

Join us on our adventure. Join the blog at "SIGN IN" and travel with us.

John Madden