In Praise of Life Before Columbus : Heritage: A weekend powwow at Lake Casitas draws a multiethnic crowd to sample American Indian food, dancing and crafts.

The placid waters of Ojai’s Lake Casitas served as the setting Sunday for thousands of American Indians from about 55 tribes to celebrate life before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.

“When Columbus arrived, he saw a spirit he didn’t understand in the eyes of the Indians,” said Damon Polk, 34, who traveled from a Quechan reservation near the California-Arizona border to join the largest gathering of American Indians in Ventura County.

“If you look at the eyes of the people here, the spirit is there,” said Polk, who is of Quechan and Apache descent.

Despite searing heat and an almost windless day, a multiethnic crowd of about 8,000 descended on the lake for the second day of a two-day American Indian powwow.

Organized by the Native American Indian Inter-Tribal Assn. of Ventura County, the Eagle Point Powwow was named after a pair of eagles that were sighted at Lake Casitas three years ago.

Though none of the majestic birds were sighted on Sunday, eagle feathers were prominent in headdresses worn by many of the dancers. The blue sky and water blended dramatically with the turquoise woven into traditional beadwork and silver jewelry of the costumes worn by different tribes.

Polk was one of about 40 dancers with eagle feathers adorning a red, yellow and black costume. After the dance, he coached 11 members of his family through the chants and drumming of an intertribal song.

“Hit the drum, hit the drum,” he instructed his 14-year-old daughter, Delphine.

“Whenever Indians get together, people would gather, and they would sing and dance and they would never turn anyone away,” he said later. “This is about sharing. This is for everybody.”

Because of the Columbus Day holiday today, the second annual gathering drew hundreds of out-of-town participants, many of them only part American Indian, said Floyd Beller, president of the county’s Native American Indian Inter-Tribal Assn. Last year, the same gathering drew only 300 people.

Beller, who is part Chickasaw, cited better publicity as the reason for the increased attendance.

Visitors of all ethnic origins sampled American Indian cooking and inspected a tepee village. White men mingled with the crowd in early Western dress of gunfighters and mountain traders in buckskin coats.

A fire circle dug Saturday by area members of the Chumash tribe burned through the day, sending smoke drifting over dancers and members of the audience.

Ventura County residents said they were impressed by the number of tribes that had never come to the area before.

Anna Becerra, 37, of Ventura took refuge from the day’s heat under a tree as she waited for her three adopted children, all of whom have Indian blood. She said she brought her children to the powwow so they could learn about their Sioux, Shoshone and Blackfeet heritage.

“I used to live in Montana, and they used to have a lot of powwows,” Becerra said while looking at a row of arts-and-crafts booths. “This is somewhat commercial, but it’s nice.”

Chumash Indian Frank Rocha, 35, of Saticoy said he intended to mark the historic event by planting a 10-foot-tall oak tree at the site of the powwow.

“We’re meeting other Chumash,” said Rocha, who identifies himself by his Indian name, Little Hawk. “It takes something like this to get us together.”

For others, the powwow was a reason to indulge in playful activities, such as face painting.

Natalie and Devin Villanueva of Sylmar had dancing deer and fish painted in bright pink and green shades across their cheeks and brows. One side of 11-year-old Natalie’s cheek was smudged as she munched a piece of Indian fry bread dusted with powdered sugar. She said she and her 6-year-old sister are Shoshone.

“We get our faces painted every year,” Natalie said. “We wanted to look like Indian princesses.”