By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

OBERLIN -- Soon, there will be plenty of celebrating going on in Oberlin, what with the approaching 50th anniversary of the Last Indian Raid Museum and Mini Sapa celebration, and the 130th anniversary of the last Indian raid in Kansas.

The celebrations will be spread throughout two weekends, with the first event set to begin Sunday.

That's when the Oberlin Arts and Humanities Commission, in cooperation with the museum, will be touring several of the sites where the Indian raid actually took place.

That American Indian raid, when 18 people were killed in Decatur County, took place when the Northern Cheyennes passed through the area Sept. 30, 1878, according to museum director Sharleen Wurm.

Participants will load up at 2 p.m. Sunday to head to the site where the Indians passed through. Only four stops will be made, although American Indians attacked settlers at 18 locations in 1878.

Roads into some of the areas are less than ideal, Wurm said, preventing other sites from being visited.

Tagging along will be Richard Little Bear, president of Chief Dull Knife College, based in Lame Deer, Mont.

Once the tour participants return to Oberlin, Little Bear will be the featured speaker, giving the American Indian's side of the story concerning the raid.

"He's taking the tour with us," Wurm said. "I think it will be interesting to hear his side of the story."

After that, the group will load up again and head to Achilles, where there will be a chuck wagon buffalo barbecue.

The tour costs $10 for adults and $5 for students; tickets can be purchased at the door. The barbecue costs $6.50 per person.

Sunday's events, however, will serve as something of a lead-in to the big celebration -- the 50th anniversary of the museum and the 50th annual Mini Sapa Celebration.

Although Wurm is unsure how many people might show up for Sunday's tour, she's expecting as many as a thousand people to turn out for the day-long celebration Oct. 4.

Events start at 7 a.m. with a pancake feed in the Bohemian Hall at the museum, something that is hugely popular and frequently serves as a top money maker for the museum.

Throughout the day, activities are planned, including a 10 a.m. parade through downtown Oberlin, stopping in front of the museum, at the community's south edge.

After the parade, the Koshare Indian dancers will perform at the museum, a performance that will be repeated at 2 p.m. and in the evening at The Gateway, the community building in Oberlin.

Lunch will feature buffalo burgers and foot-long hot dogs.

Foot-long hot dogs, Wurm said, were just being introduced 50 years ago and were featured at the Mini Sapa celebration that took place in conjunction with the opening of the museum.

Wurm said she's ready for the celebration.

"We have been working on this since the first of the year," she said. "It will be a fun day."