Mala Gosia
I say POW, you say WOW!
For many Native Americans, the powwow is much more than just entertainment; it's a way to honor a spiritual connection to their ancestors. It is the dancers who bring life to the songs. At most powwows, the usual category of dances for men include northern traditional or southern straight, the grass dance, and the modern fancy dance. Northern traditional dancers often have lots of natural bird feathers in their outfits, and dance with quick steps, crouching low to the ground-resembling a prairie chicken's walk or a warrior in search of his enemy. Southern straight dancers have a regal air to them, standing upright, and dancing with short purposeful steps. At points in their song they will bend over and dance in semi-circles imitating how they surround their enemy.
Stopping on time is a key, and tricky, aspect of good dancing. Drum groups may make up songs with sudden endings designed to make the dancer misstep. If the dancers can keep up with the pace and not be fooled by a false ending they have a decent chance of winning the cash prize. "When a dancer oversteps, usually the judges won't vote on them at all.".
Regalia is unique to each dancer and dance, and as powwow continues to evolve, there are no hard and fast rules regarding regalia. For instance, the regalia for grass dancer features yards and yards of yarn or ribbon hanging from the shoulders and waist. They symbolize the prairie grass the dancers historically would stomp down to prepare an area for dancing. Other outfits dazzle the eye with intricate beadwork, often containing personal motifs and designs that reflect their heritage. Most beadwork is created by a family member and given as a gift to the dancer, though today folks may also place "special orders" with beadworkers for their regalia. Women's jingle dance dresses are covered with rolled up tobacco tin lids that are attached to the dress. The bright silver shapes create a delightful tinkering sound as the dancers move. (From: www.nativepeoples.com)
© all rights reserved by Mala Gosia. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
I say POW, you say WOW!
For many Native Americans, the powwow is much more than just entertainment; it's a way to honor a spiritual connection to their ancestors. It is the dancers who bring life to the songs. At most powwows, the usual category of dances for men include northern traditional or southern straight, the grass dance, and the modern fancy dance. Northern traditional dancers often have lots of natural bird feathers in their outfits, and dance with quick steps, crouching low to the ground-resembling a prairie chicken's walk or a warrior in search of his enemy. Southern straight dancers have a regal air to them, standing upright, and dancing with short purposeful steps. At points in their song they will bend over and dance in semi-circles imitating how they surround their enemy.
Stopping on time is a key, and tricky, aspect of good dancing. Drum groups may make up songs with sudden endings designed to make the dancer misstep. If the dancers can keep up with the pace and not be fooled by a false ending they have a decent chance of winning the cash prize. "When a dancer oversteps, usually the judges won't vote on them at all.".
Regalia is unique to each dancer and dance, and as powwow continues to evolve, there are no hard and fast rules regarding regalia. For instance, the regalia for grass dancer features yards and yards of yarn or ribbon hanging from the shoulders and waist. They symbolize the prairie grass the dancers historically would stomp down to prepare an area for dancing. Other outfits dazzle the eye with intricate beadwork, often containing personal motifs and designs that reflect their heritage. Most beadwork is created by a family member and given as a gift to the dancer, though today folks may also place "special orders" with beadworkers for their regalia. Women's jingle dance dresses are covered with rolled up tobacco tin lids that are attached to the dress. The bright silver shapes create a delightful tinkering sound as the dancers move. (From: www.nativepeoples.com)
© all rights reserved by Mala Gosia. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.