Day-Ohn-Day: Race event promotes health, funds annual club powwow

TULSA, Okla. – For the ninth year, Tulsa Indian Club will kill two birds with one stone over Memorial Day weekend: promoting a healthy lifestyle and fundraising for its annual powwow.

“The powwow is a pretty large event, so fundraising and sponsorship are important,” Tulsa Indian Club member and race coordinator Robert Anquoe said. “We decided to do this a few years ago as a way to fundraise and get support for the event.”

Named for the Kiowa word for wonderful or “I feel good,” the Day-Ohn-Day 5K and 10K will start at Mohawk Park’s Shelter No. 3 at 5701 E. 36th St. North on May 25. The proceeds will go to one of Tulsa’s oldest continuous Native American cultural events, the 61st annual Tulsa Powwow, scheduled for July 27-28 at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds.

“This is a way to promote a healthy lifestyle and offer encouragement to live that way,” Anquoe said. “It’s an opportunity to come out, walk or run and hopefully get a routine going of eating right and exercising.”

With participation increasing every year, more than 325 runners and walkers participated in last year’s Day-Ohn-Day run, making it the largest turnout in the event’s history. Last year’s race was also the first to feature a 10K.           

Race pre-registration is available online at dayohnday.eventbrite.com through May 22. Participants may also register in person May 20-24 at Runners’ World at 4329 S. Peoria Ave., or starting at 6:30 a.m. on race day. Pre-registration is $25 for 5K and one-mile fun run participants and $30 for 10K participants. Fees increase by $5 for race day runners. Due to liability concerns, strollers are not allowed in any of the races.

Along with standard age divisions, the race also has a separate division for tribal and powwow royalty and will once again feature the Chief’s Challenge for tribal leaders who walk or run in one of the races. Team awards will also be presented to the tribe or organization with the most entrants.

For more info on the Tulsa Powwow, visit http://tulsapowwow.org




Participants in the 2012 Princess Challenge line up for a group photo at race end. Autumn Only A Chief,  2012 Pawnee Nation Princess, second from right,  is the reigning champion.

PHOTO COURTESY TULSA INDIAN CLUB