Maestro Robert Nance wins ‘Sagamore of the Wabash’ award

The Sagamore of the Wabash Award was created during the term of Governor Ralph Gates, who served from 1945 to 1949. Governor Gates was to attend a tri-state meeting in Louisville with officials from the states of Ohio and Kentucky. Aides to the governor discovered that the governor of Kentucky was preparing a Kentucky Colonel certificate for Governor Gates and Senator Robert A. Taft, who was to represent the State of Ohio. The Hoosiers decided that Indiana should have an appropriate award to present in return.

The term “sagamore” was used by the American Indian Tribes of the northeastern United States to describe a lesser chief or a great man among the tribe to whom the true chief would look for wisdom and advice.

Each governor since Gates has presented the certificates in their own way. It has been said that one governor even resorted to wearing a full Indian headdress as he read the scrolls. The award is the highest honor, that the Governor of Indiana bestows. It is a personal tribute usually given to those who have rendered a distinguished service to the state or to the governor. Among those who have received Sagamores have been astronauts, presidents, ambassadors, artists, musicians, politicians, and ordinary citizens who have contributed greatly to our Hoosier heritage.

It should be noted that the Sagamores have been conferred upon both men and women. There is no record of the total number which have been presented, as each governor has kept his own role; just as each has reserved the right to personally select the recipients.

Receiving the Sagamore of the Wabash is basically a tribute to someone who has rendered distinguished service to the state of Indiana or to the Governor, and as such has contributed significantly to Hoosier Heritage. Maestro Nance was chosen based on his contributions to the arts in Northeast Indiana, including in particular for starting the professional vocal arts company Heartland Sings, Inc., for his artistry, his leadership and entrepreneurial acumen, for his community service, and his advocacy work for the arts and how the artists who create it help to make a community more prosperous, vibrant and unified.

Governor Eric Holcomb awarded Maestro Nance the Sagamore of the Wabash officially on October 17, 2024. The award is being presented to Nance in December at Heartland Sings’ annual Spirit of Christmas program at the Allen County Courthouse. It was presented in a brief ceremony at the start of each of the three performances on Dec. 20 at 7:30p, Dec. 21 & 22 at 3:00p, and the award was on display there for all to see.