Political activist and candidate for US Senate Chief Wana Dubie says he is calling for the alumni of Camp Zoe to, once again, gather this Saturday at the Dent County Courthouse as part of his Hemp Day celebration.
“I miss Schwagstock and all of the friends you’d see there,” Wana Dubie said. “I think this is a good opportunity for everyone to get back together and have a picnic to celebrate hemp, and what it can do for Missouri. I don’t think the new state park will let us in, so we’ll do it at Hemp Day.”
Wana Dubie was permitted to hold a demonstration on the courthouse grounds earlier this year at the Dent County Commission’s Jan. 7 meeting.
The Chief says he’s planning on bringing petitions, t-shirts for sale and bongos for the drum circle, but he will not be able to feed everyone.
“This is a potluck situation,” Wana Dubie said. “Everybody bring something to share as far as snacks and water is concerned and we’ll get by.”
The Chief says he’ll be onsite at noon for lunch, and plans to stick around as long as he’s needed. He also says he invited Jimmy Tebeau and the Schwag to come play at the event, but the band’s schedule would not allow an appearance.
Wana Dubie originally requested to hold the event in order to install his hemp ball, which he has taken to calling a unity ball, that he hoped would be recognized by Guinness World Records as the world largest ball of hemp. The Chief said he should be given the title by default since such a category does not yet exist. Guinness has denied The Chief’s request for a new category, instead indicating his ball would fall under the jurisdiction of the world’s largest ball of string, yarn or thread.
That record is held by a ball of twine housed at Branson’s Ripley’s Believe it or Not Odditorium, which measures to be 13 feet 2.5 inches in diameter and 41 feet 6 inches in circumference. It was raveled by J.C. Payne of Valley View, Texas, between 1989 and 1992.
An inspection of Wana Dubie’s hemp ball by The Salem News found it has grown to the current size of a basketball.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will be the hemp ball,” Wana Dubie said. “The important thing to recognize is how many people support hemp and are trying to raise its profile with their donations.”
In spite of Guinness’s rejection, Wana Dubie says the hemp ball campaign has achieved victory. The Chief points to last week’s 123-29 vote by the Missouri House of Representatives to legalize industrial hemp as evidence. The legislation is currently being considered for passage by the Missouri Senate.
“They obviously didn’t want to get rolled, and got out of my way,” Wana Dubie said. “You’re welcome Missouri.”
