Father-son interest leads from powwows to Venture Crew

Caitlin Mahoney, 14, foreground, and Michael Burke, 15, practice their Indian dances Sunday as part of the local Wiechcheu Dancers Venturers Crew. The 15-member team competes at both Boy Scout events and Native American powwows.
Caitlin Mahoney, 14, foreground, and Michael Burke, 15, practice their Indian dances Sunday as part of the local Wiechcheu Dancers Venturers Crew. The 15-member team competes at both Boy Scout events and Native American powwows.

For Carl Mahoney, it was his son Patrick who got him back into Native American dancing, a passion of his in the 1980s that gave way to the demands of college, work and then family life.

In high school, Mahoney competed on a seven-member team based in Jefferson City. Seven years ago, years after he had stopped dancing, his son Patrick told him he wanted to give it a try.

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The two danced at a Scouting event several years ago, and more people became interested. That led to their current 15-member Wiechcheu Dancers group, a Venture Crew formed by members of the Order of the Arrow.