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i ne v^oasi s lounuing lamer steps shore each time in his finest bro-ades, colorful feathers flying from is upturned hat. The friendly Indian atives greet the band of French Canadians with a calumet, or peace ipe, and the smoke rises.
Don’t look too closely. You might py a brave or two wearing sneakers, r wonder about that polka dotted ledicine man.
The 1699 Historical Committee’s nnual pageant is a curious scene ath its mixture of history and histor-al interpretation peppered with nagination. *
Ocean Springs is piouci.pljjtfijpt.er-retation of the arrival of the "first rench colonials. Residents of this ity 16,500 have turned their
Clarence lamilton, alias Iberville, passes the peace pipe to Glenn Love, the tribal chief, during he 1992 landing )ageant.
continue through the weekend with a street fair, a parade with 1699 doubloon throws and a colonial fancy dress ball.
The Sunday landing pageant was first staged in 1939 as their statement that “Iberville landed here first.” But with later record translations, they now know that’s not true. Neighboring Biloxi felt Iberville’s first foot steps.
Undaunted by a few corrected facts, the pageant organizers have other historical truth to tout.
"In the beginning, we had to work / ,r 'really hard to hold this to our city —
there was another city wanting t<i claim our history,” said Betty Milst-ed, the first 1699 president.
"We’re not saying that he didn’t
here in Ocean Springs. And that’s what we’re celebrating.”
In the past decade, the pageant has changed little. That comforts the core of the committee that has kept alive the so-named “299th Anniversary Celebration of the Landing of d’lberville in 1699 at Ocean Springs.” The lack of change, however, irks some who believe historical accuracy needs a stronger role.
“The pageant is super important to this community, and it should go on strong,” said Ray Bellande, a Biloxi-born historian who now calls Ocean Springs home. “I just wish they’d give up some pageantry for historical accuracy in costuming and scripts.
“This is a celebration of our French heritage, a renaissance of our soul.”
brocades and bows on his shoes.
His soldiers did not carry pop guns, and Indians were not given Mardi Gras beads.
Historians from other parts of the Coast won’t go on record to criticize, for fear of appearing to steal Ocean Spring’s thunder. But the 1699 Committee, which says it has done, its’^ own extensive research, is aware. 'r f ' “
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chants Day, merchants encouraged to dress in colonial attire; judging colonial art at schools; Chamber has reasonably priced costumes on sale .
■ 4-7 p.m.: “Celebrating lississippi in Ocean !$5prings” a potluck picnic
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I try not to listen to controversy,”;^1* ™s'c- colonial re-enac-Ocean Springs*®0^ WL0XJIV®. broadca5S
says John Vallor, an Ocean Springs businessman who portrayed the 1997 Iberville and is one of the committee’s stalwarts.
“I enjoy representing our history,
Please see Landing, E-5
DAVID PURDY/THE SUN HERALD
U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, as Iberville, third from left, watches as the medicine man dances in the 1990 landing pageant in Ocean Springs.
i^nd a visit by Iberville; Marshall Park in downtown ^jOcean Springs; spqnsored by jpthe Ocean .Springs Chamber '^'“of Commerce."
On Saturday
■	9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Street Fair, 100 arts & crafts booths, 15 food booths.
■	8 p.m.: Historic Ball & Pageant; Ocean Springs Civic Center on U.S. 90; tickets are $15; tableau, music and heavy hors d’oeuvres; 872-2819 or 872-2766 for information; sponsored by 1699 Historical Committee.
On April 26
■	10:30 a.m.: Mass at Fort Maurepas.
■	2:30-3:15 p.m.: The Landing Pageant, on Front Beach at the foot of Washington Avenue; sponsored by 1699 Historical Committee.
■	3:30 p.m.: Parade from the landing site, up Washington Avenue north to Government Street, east on Government, ends at high school parking lot; at least 60 units, including bands, floats, marching units.
Information: The O.S. Chamber, 875-4424.