Wellsville leaders and members of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation met for an amicable hour and a half Tuesday after rising tensions over the city’s “Founders’ Day” tradition in which white residents paint themselves red and pretend to attack Mormon settlers.
The discussion, though, didn’t lead to any immediate action to end the annual affair known as the “Sham Battle.”
“At the end of the day, I told [city officials] I would give them the opportunity to do whatever they felt was best,” said Darren Parry, tribal chairman, who last week commented that the event “needs to go away.