Pow wow 2012

Last evening we headed over to the Pow wow.  We got there just in time to scarf down some homemade French Fries, cheese curds and a hamburger before the Grand Entry.

Just before the Grand Entry is a sacred peace pipe ceremony.  It is not photographed.

The Grand Entry begins with the eagle staffs, then the flags, followed by the royalty.  The men enter next followed by younger men and older children.  Women and small children encircle the men and soon everyone has entered and they are all dancing around the circle.

Traditional men’s regalia with a feather bustle.

Jingle dancers.

My favorite regalia this year was this simple oh so soft looking buckskin dress. This older lady is carrying her eagle feathers in her right hand and carries her buckskin beaded bag on her left arm.

This is one of the littlest Jingle Dress dancers.  She is our friend Edith’s Granddaughter.

We came home right after the Grand Entry.  It was a nice evening..two date nights this week:)

The Powwow

Far Guy and I attended the local powwow.  I can remember attending a powwow as a child. It was on the shores of Shell Lake. I saw my first teepee there..that was more than fifty years ago.  I still recall the warm evening air and the excitement.

The sound of the drums and the chanting.  Of course I didn’t know what they are saying..

It doesn’t sound anything like Hihowareya? Hihowareya? That would be the Native greeting that Far Guy and I use.

Show me the money??

We got there just as the dancing began for the Little Brave and Little Princess competition.  When the competition is down to the last four dancers..people run out with money to honor the dancers.  The dancers are supposed to acknowledge it by dancing on the money.  Elders walk around and pick up all the money on the ground. 

It was quite a dance off between these four grass dancers.

There were lots of young girls dancing.  Far Guys favorite dancer won.

She was a jingle dress dancer…and a pretty cute one at that:)

Pow Wow : The Jingle Dress

A Jingle dress is made from cloth, velvet or leather and adorned with Jingles. Jingles are traditionally made from the lids of snuff cans. The lids are bent and molded into triangular bell shapes. An adult dress can have 400 to 700 Jingles.

The Dance: The steps are very controlled and low to the ground, there is no high kicking or twirling. The dancer may make a zig zag trail to represent the journey of life. The sound of the Jingles jingling is considered a happy sound, a healing sound.

The Ojibwe Legend: A Medicine Mans granddaughter was very ill. During a dream a spirit wearing a Jingle Dress came to him and told him to make a dress for his granddaughter and to have her dance. She had to be carried during the first circle, the second circle she needed a little help, the third circle she walked by herself and the fourth circle she danced.

I attended my first Pow Wow when I was just a little girl, I was intrigued by the colors of the costumes and the Birch Bark Tepee that stood on the shores of Shell Lake. That was in the late 1950's. My second Pow Wow was in Canada, while we were on vacation..we were the only non natives there so we did not stay long. My Father- In- Law said "Let's stay together and walk back to the car quickly..there are no other white people here." This time I thoroughly enjoyed the Pow Wow. The public was invited and welcomed. :)