8
ROCKY BOY
August 2018
CELEBRATION
www.havredailynews.com
2
ROCKY BOY
August 2018
CELEBRATION
ROCKY BOY
www.havredailynews.com
Rocky Boy invites everyone to a celebration of culture Derek Hann dshann@havredailynews.com
Daryl Wright II Chippewa Cree Business Committee
often resembles two things: the movements of animals, particularly birds, found in the Northern Plains, and the movements of a warrior showing off his ability and accomplishments in battle.
Men’s Traditional Southern Straight
A long-standing tradition, Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration Powwow, is about coming together as a community celebrating the rich native heritage, said Chippewa Cree Business Committee member Daryl Wright II, who will also be one of the announcers at the event. Along with the main powwow, Friday through Saturday, other events are held in conjunction such as the youth powwow Thursday and the rodeos at the Sybil Sangrey-Colliflower Memorial Arena near Box Elder. The youth rodeo is set for Tuesday and Wednesday and the adult event Friday and Saturday. Dustin Whitford, self-governance coord i n a to r fo r Ro c k y B oy ’s I n d i a n Reservation, said the event not only celebrates the culture of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, but brings together many cultures. “Culturally, ceremonially, historically our tribes have been involved with dancing, and this is one of the ways to continue that without having an actual ceremony,” he said, “but also to include other
(We) are still acknowledging that brotherhood and that closeness we share.
www.havredailynews.com
The straight dance comes originally from the Southern Plains, and has its origins in the dances of the warrior societies of several tribes. Often called the Indian tuxedo, the straight outfit looks much more tailored than those of other dance styles. There are few feathers and no bustles, which are instead replaced with cloth and ribbon work, giving the outfit a very sleek, clean appearance. Today, many bright colors and silver go into the outfit, providing the flash that is found in other outfits. Straight dancing tends to be smoother and involves less motion than other dance styles. It reflects the older, experienced warrior moving with the grace and ease of long practice as he surveys everything around him and sees that it is good.
Men’s Fancy Dance
Havre Daily News / Colin Thompson. Dancers perform in Aug. 4 in the 2017 Rocky Boy powwow. Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration is bringing people from around the United States and Canada to Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation this weekend, with related events starting earlier in the week like the youth powwow Thursday and the annual rodeo.
tribes and other people from other nationalities around the world — to involve themselves and to celebrate life,” he said. Loni Whitford Taylor, treasurer for the committee organizing the powwow, said Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation is known
for its hospitality and this year many things will be ready for the community as well as visitors to enjoy. Even though Rocky Boy Reservation is the smallest reservation in the state, the powwow is well known as the “granddaddy” of them all, Taylor said, adding that she believes this year will be the biggest one yet. Taylor said the nine powwow committee members worked all year organizing the event and raised money through a variety of fundraisers, such as a bingo
event all year at the casino, food sales and solicitation letters that were sent off in the local area. She added that the committee members’ families have provided a lot of support, and they couldn’t have organized the event without them. Taylor said each of the committee members will also be hosting special events throughout the powwow and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., will be present at the event Saturday evening for the
Men’s fancy dance is a modern-style dance that has its roots in old grass dance. This exuberant style of dance is fast paced and features elaborate footwork and high jumps. Fancy dancers wear sheep or sleigh bells to help maintain the rhythm of the dance and two feather bustles worn on the neck and back. These were at one time made of eagle feathers. Today, many are made of white and dark eagle feathers decorated with small colorful feathers called hackles. Men's fancy dance has its origins in the old Wild West shows of Buffalo Bill Cody and others. The managers of these shows felt that the dancing being done by the Indians in their shows was not interesting enough to hold the attention of the spectators, so they had the dancers create more colorful outfits and dance faster and with more motions. Since then, fancy dance has grown considerably, in large part with the help of contest powwows. The dance has become more and more colorful and faster over the years, with larger bustles, the additional of ribbons and, of course, all manner of dance steps intended to outdo all other dancers. The fancy outfit is distinguished by its two large, colorful feather bustles on the dancer's back, and the dance has larger motions and spins not seen in other dance styles.
Men’s Grass Dance Men’s grass dance features fluid, graceful, sweeping movements. Their colorful outfits
CELEBRATION
are hinged with yarn, ribbon or cloth. This dance style originated from the plains. The dancers move as if they are smoothing down the tall grass; hence, the name. There are several stories about the origin of grass dancing. Many people say that the dance started among the young men who where sent out to flatten the prairie grass to form a dance arena. Rather than just stomp down the grass, they turned the chore into a dance. It is also said that they tied bundles of sweet grass to their belts, and tried to imitate the movement of the tall prairie grass swaying in the wind. Thus, in the dance today, you can see the dancers swaying and moving in the "wind," as well as seeing motions that look like they are moving through or stomping down the grass. The grass dance outfit today is far more colorful than it has been in the past. The original bundles of grass have been replaced with ribbons, yarn or cloth strips. When dancing, the dancers try to get the entire fringe in their outfit moving constantly in the swaying motion of the prairie.
Women’s Traditional Dance In women’s traditional dance, the feet never completely leave the ground, which symbolizes women's close ties with mother earth. When Indians acquired cloth from white traders, they began to make much of their clothing from it. Many eastern woodland, plains and southwestern people make cloth shins and blouses, leggings, etc. that are elaborately decorated with ribbons and silver buttons. Ribbons are cut, folded and appliquéd to create geometric or abstract floral designs. Our people still make beautiful dresses out of buckskin. The most treasured buckskins are Indian tanned. Using traditional methods, the Indian tanning process makes the hides very white and soft as velvet. A tan color is achieved by smoking the hide. When the dress is finished, many hours of beading begins. Beading ranges from fully beaded tops — common among the Sioux — to beaded strips across the front shoulders and around the button of the dress — Southern Plains. The ladies' traditional style is actually a combination of four styles: northern buckskin, northern cloth, southern buckskin and couthern cloth. While similar in many ways, each of these styles has its own distinct style of dress and dancing. Like all dance styles, these have strong roots in customs and traditions that have been passed down for years. The outfits are based on traditional clothing from specific tribes, and thus there is a great deal of variation from one dancer to the next. The dancing itself also varies widely based on the
tribe represented, but always focuses on the grace and dignity of the dancer. The outfit often includes fringe on a shawl or the dress itself, along with other accessories, which must move in perfect time to the song.
Women’s Fancy Dance Women's fancy dance features very elaborate footwork and lots of beadwork. In the fancy dance categories, it is very important to know all the songs to stop exactly on the last beat. The women wear hinged shawls and try to match all accessories. Ladies' fancy shawl is the newest style of ladies' dancing, and is similar in several ways to men's fancy dance. Women's fancy dance emerged in the 1950s and 1960s — and became vastly more popular over the next 20 years — among young women who were looking for a more stylistic, and energetic, dance style. The dance is light, graceful and very athletic. The dancers move much like a butterfly, and their outfits are bright and colorful to match. Particular emphasis is given to the shawl, which is worn over the shoulders and spread out along the arms like wings.
Women’s Jingle Dress Women's jingle dress dancers wear very simple but beautiful cut-cloth dresses decorated with tin cones that jingle as they move. There are several stories about the origin of the jingle dress, but they mostly agree that it was first seen in a dream and was intended as a way to heal those who were ill. As one tradition tells it, this style of dance had its beginnings in a young Chippewa woman's dream, then grew into society. Another says after a medicine man's granddaughter became very ill, he had a dream that showed him how to make the dress and which instructed him to have her dance in it. When the dress was made, she wore it and danced, very weakly at first, but becoming stronger as she went until she was healed. Today, jingle dance specials are sometimes requested by those with friends or relatives who are sick. The dress is made with a large number of tin lids — originally from the tops of snuff cans but now made from tin lids off chewing tobacco cans — rolled into cones and attached to the dress. Some traditions call for 365 cones, one for each day of the year. As the jingle dancer moves, her dress makes a very distinctive sound. The Chippewa Cree Events Committee adds other dance style categories as a sign of respect and hospitality to visiting tribes,
August 2018
7
styles like men's prairie chicken, men's crow belt, men's southern straight and women's elk tooth crow style.
Powwow Etiquette Etiquette for spectators and newcomers: Listen to the master of ceremonies. If you do nothing else on this list, at least do this. The benches in the arena are normally reserved for dancers. Be prepared to provide your own chairs. Ask permission to take photos or videos of individual dancers — shots of groups or the arena as a whole are usually fine. Listen to the MC for times that you should not take pictures. Always stand, if able, during social honoring songs. These will be announced by the MC. Gentlemen should also remove their hats. All pets and food should be kept outside the dance arena at all times, even between dance sessions. Only dance during intertribal songs or when you are invited to dance. Do not dance during competition. If you have a question, ask. If you are honestly interested and curious, most people will be happy to answer your questions.
Etiquette For Dancers Listen to the master of ceremonies and, most importantly, listen to the arena director. Respect the positions of the head dancers. Don't dance before the head dancers start dancing. Seats on the benches may be reserved with a blanket. Never move or sit on someone else's blanket without permission. Be on time and ready to dance in full regalia. Dress properly in appropriate dance clothes — if you don't know what's appropriate, ask. Respect the protocol of the group sponsoring the powwow. This often includes dancing around the arena in a particular direction. Stand for all specials and other honoring songs. Certain items should only be used by those who are qualified according to the traditions of their tribe. These include war bonnets, rattles, whistles and religious items. Firearms — even nonoperational ones — lances with points and unsheathed knives should not be carried while dancing for safety reasons. If you feel you must carry one of these items, speak with the arena director ahead of time. All specials must be coordinated with the MC. You may be required to have it at a certain time or dance session. This is to benefit the entire powwow, so please be understanding. Never come to a powwow with alcohol or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
6
ROCKY BOY
CELEBRATION
August 2018
ROCKY BOY
www.havredailynews.com
Variety of vendors coming to Rocky Boy celebration Derek Hann dshann@havredailynews.com A wide variety of food vendors, as well as arts and craft vendors, will be at Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration, powwow committee Treasurer Loni Whitford Taylor said, adding that all the vendors are required to be Native American vendors. She said food trucks and arts and craft
Powwows ■ Continued from page 4 of certain sounds without regard to meaning — evolved so singers could share songs. Today, some songs are sung completely in vocables. Yet these songs, like songs with words, still hold significant meaning to those who know them. Songs are still being composed today. Songs still exist from pre-colonial times as well as recent wars. War, bravery, love and friendship are a few favorite themes.
The Grand Entry Although powwows may differ, depending on the location of type, the following is a system used by many powwows throughout the plains area. Many powwows use the following format: First the eagle staff is carried into the circle, followed by the American, Canadian, Montana and tribal flags. The titleholders from tribal pageants and — if present — Miss Indian America candidates. Other invited dignitaries are next, followed by the men traditional dancers first, then grass dancers and fancy dancers. Women come next, followed by traditional dancers, fancy shawl and jingle dress dancers. Next are the teen boys, then girls and then junior boys and girls in the same order as the adults. The last to enter are the tiny tot boys and girls. The dancers dance sun wise, or clockwise, around the arbor, showing the audience that they are ready to begin showing their outfits — the term costumes is seen by some as derogatory — and their dance steps letting them who watch know whom they are and what they can do. This may vary from tribe to tribe or powwow to powwow. When the grand entry song ends, there is a flag song, an equivalent of the national
vendors will be at the event, half being local vendors and half visiting, with several vendors coming from down South and some coming from Canada. Some of the arts and craft vendors will be selling Navajo jewelry, blankets, beads and clothing, although there will be no toys sold and no jump houses or those types of things, Taylor said. Some vendors will also sell traditional jewelry and regalia during the celebration,
she added. Some of the vendors have been doing these crafts for years, from families that have done them for generations. Taylor added that the vendor booths are a good way for people to make money and are quite popular for the powwow. She said she is particularly excited about the Burrito Shack, which serves deep-fried juneberry cheesecake, made with local juneberries.
Chippewa Cree Business Committee member Daryl Wright II, who will be an announcer at the powwow, said Native people do a good job as vendors each year, and they work hard to make the event a success. “All of our Native people do a good job and put in together some of the best foods that we have,” Wright said. He added that he is particularly excited for the neck bone soup.
anthem. Then there is an invocation blessing the gathering. After the eagle staff — always positioned above the American Flag to signify the first nation — is tied to the pole in the center of the arbor or brought to the announcers’ stand. A welcome is extended. and then there may be a few words by various dignitaries. When this portion of the ceremony is completed the dancing can begin.
veterans to carry and retrieve the spirit of the father. The pow-wow of today uses four veterans, representing the four cardinal directions to dance around the feather. The first two verses are straight verses with no down beat, paying respect to the Creator and the spirit of the fallen warrior. The next four verses will have the dancers charge the feather on the downbeat. The downbeat represents the cannon and gunfire in any song, so in the case of this ceremony, the veterans are charging the gunfire of the enemy. Each will charge with his right hand extended to touch or take coup. Those who have not taken coup will use an eagle feather fan, because they are not strong enough to touch the spirit. Again, this is very important to follow, because of the grave consequences to be paid if one insults the spirit. After the sixth verse, the honored veteran will pick the feather up with his left hand and give a war whoop to acknowledge the capture of the spirit of the feather. The veteran then returns the Eagle feather to its owner and the owner give him a gift in appreciation of the services that the veteran has performed for him.
all the songs to be sung. The head singer either starts the drumming/singing or selects another "lead" singer to begin the song. All other singers/drummers must wait for the signal for them to join in.
Songs The flag song is the Indian equivalent of the national anthem. In recent years, nearly every tribe has composed a flag song, dedicated to the men and women who have served in the armed forces in various wars. There is no dancing to this song, but all stand in respect. Certain women may traditional dance in place for their father, brother, or son who is or was a combat veteran. The flag song is sung at the beginning of most Indian activities. The honor songs are special songs dedicated to honor a particular person or persons. It is customary to stand in silence to show respect when an honor song is sung. The give-away song is one way of honoring certain individuals or groups among Indian people. Here the gesture is more important than the value of the gift. It is an honor to give and it usually takes great preparation.
The Eagle Feather If the eagle feather is dropped during a powwow everything comes to a halt until the feather is honored. Eagle feathers are treasured and precious to Indian people. Historically and traditionally, it is the right of any wounded warrior to retrieve a fallen eagle feather. The eagle feather is the spirit of a fallen warrior and can only be matched in power by the same. Recording and photographing such a ceremony is strictly forbidden. Those tribes that adhere to strict traditions and customs will allow only wounded
Head Staff To be selected as one of the head people is a high honor. The head people are selected not only for ability, but also for personal qualities and actions.
The Head Man And Woman Dancer The head man and head woman guide and direct all the dancers throughout the powwow weekend. The other dancers wait in respect until the head man and woman dancer start each song.
The Head Singer
The head singer of each drum must know
The Head Veteran The head veteran has the honor of carrying in the Indian flag at the very front of the precession of the dancers during Grand Entry. He also has the responsibility of "Retreating the Colors" at the end of each dance session.
Dancers Most dances seen at powwow today may have had different meaning in earlier days, but have evolved into the social dances of today. Although, dance style and content have changed, their importance to Indian People has not. You will see no religious dancers at powwows today.
Men’s Traditional Dance The traditional male dancer keeps an older dance style and expresses his own individuality by combining both contemporary and traditional styles in costumes. Although dance style varies depending on the individual, tribal and/or regional ties, there are certain items of apparel, which are common among most traditional male dancers. The traditional dancers execute a very graceful and dignified dance closely resembling styles of early days. The traditional dance style — also called contemporary traditional — emerged from the Northern Plains. It is based on the same traditions as old style, but became identifiably different sometime around the mid-1900s. Traditional outfits tend to use more modern materials, more feathers and ribbons, and larger bustles than old style outfits. The dancing itself tends to involve more movement and action. The dancing
www.havredailynews.com
CELEBRATION
August 2018
3
Everybody should at least get out and enjoy the beauty of what we have and appreciate what we have. Daryl Wright II Chippewa Cree Business Committee grand entry. Wright said that the powwow has been a longstanding annual celebration of the reservation and many tribes from across the state, country and world come to share in the festivities. Some of those are Blackfeet and Crow from Montana, Cree from Canada, Chippewa from the eastern part of the country and many others. He added that the Chippewa Cree Tribe is known for its hospitality and enjoys hosting the event. It is important that the community comes together as well as taking care of and inviting visitors, Wright said, adding that in this the tribe is passing good blessings. “To look after the people, invite them to your home, to look after them, when you do that they leave with a good feeling and take blessings with them,” Wright said. “But also you’re receiving good blessings, so we enjoy hosting and looking after one another.” Wright said this event is one that the community looks forward to every year, adding that this is a safe drug-free, alcohol-free, place for people to come together in celebration of the Native American heritage. “In this day and age people are moving so fast, with technology,” he said. He added that this event is an opportunity to celebrate inviting all the native tribes, including the eastern woodlands and the brothers and sisters from Canada. Creating a form of community even though they may not be in the same region anymore the line that connects all of the tribes to each other deserves to be celebrated, Wright said. “(We) are still acknowledging that brotherhood and that closeness we
Havre Daily News / Colin Thompson. An elder carrying a ceremonial staff precedes flagbearers leading the grand march Aug. 4 during the 2017 Rocky Boy Celebration Powwow.
share,” he added. Taylor said that the powwow will be hosting 38 dances in age categories from golden age to adult men and woman; teen and junior boys and girls; and tiny tot, including men’s grass, southern and northern fancy, chicken and traditional dances; women’s fancy, jingle, traditional, southern buckskin and cloth, and crow dances; and many others. Dances new to this powwow this year are the eastern male woodlands dance; the female applique/scrub; the male and female smoke dances. She added that Joe Tohonnie Jr. and the Apache Crown Dancers will be performing Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Wright said that he grew up watching the grass dancers and is his favorite dance during the powwow. He added that Rocky Boy Reservation has many champion dancers who go all over Native American country and do well everywhere they go. Grass dancing is important to the tribe because it is a part of its history, Wright said, adding that the tribe is a part of The Grass Dance Society. Wright said that, traditionally, the grass dancers were the first dancers to come out to “stomp down the grass” for the other dances. It was done in a way that was not fancy but flowed in smooth fluid motion interacting with the grass as the wind would. He added that his second favorite
dance is the men’s fancy dance. Wright said that everyone is more than welcome to come out and celebrate with them. “On behalf of one of the announcers, I would like to invite all tribes, all nations, inviting out even the people who are not familiar with the powwow,” he said. “ … I invite even our non-natives to come out and witness the beauty of our culture, of our people.” “Everybody should at least get out and enjoy the beauty of what we have and appreciate what we have,” he added. “We humbly invite everybody to see our annual celebration and we are looking forward to seeing all our visitors from near and far,” Taylor said.
4
ROCKY BOY
CELEBRATION
August 2018
The history, the dances and powwow etiquette (Presented with information courtesy of the Chippewa Cree Tribe.) The Rocky Boy Celebration powwow again will bring crowds from around the continent to Hill County this year in a massive celebration of Native American heritage. The origin of the word powwow comes from a mispronunciation of the Algonquian word that referred to a gathering of medicine men and spiritual leaders. The term became used for any sort of large gathering of Native Americans, including celebrations that many tribes held for successful hunts or harvest, weddings, or any other purpose. For many years, even into the 1920s, many such gatherings were frowned upon or even banned by the government. At the same time, there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of Native American culture and heritage. As a result, many tribal customs for specific ceremonies or gatherings were lost, and many tribes decreased dramatically in size. Thus, in the 1930s and 1940s, when gatherings were once again tolerated, many tribes began to share their customs with each other and to open up their gatherings to members of other tribes in order to preserve the culture. The end of World War II is seen by many as a turning point, when many Indians returned as veterans and heroes. The civil rights movements of the 1960s also served to help rebuild a sense of identity
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson. A participant dances Aug. 4 during the 2017 Rocky Boy powwow. and pride. It was around this time that the powwow took on its modern form, and most of the dance styles were established as distinct categories. Powwows have grown considerably in number and popularity since that time, and can be found in all parts of the United States and Canada — and often in other countries as well — every weekend of the year.
The powwow today The modern-day powwow can be traced to the grass dance societies that formed around the turn of the last century. The grass dance is known by many different names among the various tribes and has an interesting history. It can be traced back to the war dances and victory celebrations of an earlier era. Originally only experienced warriors could belong to the grass dance societies. Throughout the years, the powwow has evolved into a tradition exemplifying generosity and giving, as we come into the circle with honor and respect for each other and the drum. Powwow time gives us a chance to reflect on who we are as Indian people and to celebrate our rich heritage. Powwow singers are held in high regard by our people as the keepers of our songs. We are grateful that our young people continue to learn the old songs. As different tribes gathered together, the use of vocables — words that are a combination
■ See Powwow Page 6
SAVE UP TO $ * 250 itsTriangleMobile.com | (406) 394-8800 Havre | Malta *See store for details.
ROCKY BOY
www.havredailynews.com
www.havredailynews.com
CELEBRATION
August 2018
5
Youth powwow set for Thursday night Pam Burke community@havredailynews.com The 2018 Rocky Boy Celebration will include a youth powwow that, organizers said, will not only have all-youth dancers, but also use youth drums and singers. Loni Whitford Taylor, one of the powwow’s organizers, said they are even looking to recruit a youth interested in sharing the announcer’s duties, as well, to help teach the next generation about putting on events like these, giving them ownership of the powwow. The grand entry for the 18-and-under powwow will be 7 p.m. Thursday at the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation powwow grounds located along Laredo Road about a mile south of Hay Stack Road. Taylor said organizers expect to have a large turnout for the powwow this year because the three-day celebration itself is large, with well over 800 dancers signed up for the 38 dances and all vendor spots filled early. The vendors will be open the night of the youth powwow, she said. At the youth powwow this year, boys’ dances will be traditional, fancy, grass and chicken, and girls’ dances will be traditional, fancy and jingle — in all the age groups. The powwow will have specials, as well, including some for the youngest participants. These tiny tots specials serve to help families initiate their toddlers to the dancing circle, Taylor said. “The families usually ask a dancer that they look up to (to dance with the toddler),” she said. Prize money is paid out to winners in each dance category, but organizers don’t want any participants to go away from the celebration disappointed, Taylor said, so additional prize money has been earmarked for payment to those youth who didn’t win any competing at dance.
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson. Children dance Aug. 3 during the youth powwow of the 2017 Rocky Boy Celebration.
“If a dancer does not place in the contest, they will still get something from the powwow,” Taylor said. “All dancers who register get paid. We want to let our youth know how important they are to us, help them stay on this path of powwow because it’s everything, all into one.” Dancing helps youth and adults stay healthy and fit, she added, while keeping them connected to their culture. “We want to encourage that,” she said.
4
ROCKY BOY
CELEBRATION
August 2018
The history, the dances and powwow etiquette (Presented with information courtesy of the Chippewa Cree Tribe.) The Rocky Boy Celebration powwow again will bring crowds from around the continent to Hill County this year in a massive celebration of Native American heritage. The origin of the word powwow comes from a mispronunciation of the Algonquian word that referred to a gathering of medicine men and spiritual leaders. The term became used for any sort of large gathering of Native Americans, including celebrations that many tribes held for successful hunts or harvest, weddings, or any other purpose. For many years, even into the 1920s, many such gatherings were frowned upon or even banned by the government. At the same time, there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of Native American culture and heritage. As a result, many tribal customs for specific ceremonies or gatherings were lost, and many tribes decreased dramatically in size. Thus, in the 1930s and 1940s, when gatherings were once again tolerated, many tribes began to share their customs with each other and to open up their gatherings to members of other tribes in order to preserve the culture. The end of World War II is seen by many as a turning point, when many Indians returned as veterans and heroes. The civil rights movements of the 1960s also served to help rebuild a sense of identity
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson. A participant dances Aug. 4 during the 2017 Rocky Boy powwow. and pride. It was around this time that the powwow took on its modern form, and most of the dance styles were established as distinct categories. Powwows have grown considerably in number and popularity since that time, and can be found in all parts of the United States and Canada — and often in other countries as well — every weekend of the year.
The powwow today The modern-day powwow can be traced to the grass dance societies that formed around the turn of the last century. The grass dance is known by many different names among the various tribes and has an interesting history. It can be traced back to the war dances and victory celebrations of an earlier era. Originally only experienced warriors could belong to the grass dance societies. Throughout the years, the powwow has evolved into a tradition exemplifying generosity and giving, as we come into the circle with honor and respect for each other and the drum. Powwow time gives us a chance to reflect on who we are as Indian people and to celebrate our rich heritage. Powwow singers are held in high regard by our people as the keepers of our songs. We are grateful that our young people continue to learn the old songs. As different tribes gathered together, the use of vocables — words that are a combination
■ See Powwow Page 6
SAVE UP TO $ * 250 itsTriangleMobile.com | (406) 394-8800 Havre | Malta *See store for details.
ROCKY BOY
www.havredailynews.com
www.havredailynews.com
CELEBRATION
August 2018
5
Youth powwow set for Thursday night Pam Burke community@havredailynews.com The 2018 Rocky Boy Celebration will include a youth powwow that, organizers said, will not only have all-youth dancers, but also use youth drums and singers. Loni Whitford Taylor, one of the powwow’s organizers, said they are even looking to recruit a youth interested in sharing the announcer’s duties, as well, to help teach the next generation about putting on events like these, giving them ownership of the powwow. The grand entry for the 18-and-under powwow will be 7 p.m. Thursday at the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation powwow grounds located along Laredo Road about a mile south of Hay Stack Road. Taylor said organizers expect to have a large turnout for the powwow this year because the three-day celebration itself is large, with well over 800 dancers signed up for the 38 dances and all vendor spots filled early. The vendors will be open the night of the youth powwow, she said. At the youth powwow this year, boys’ dances will be traditional, fancy, grass and chicken, and girls’ dances will be traditional, fancy and jingle — in all the age groups. The powwow will have specials, as well, including some for the youngest participants. These tiny tots specials serve to help families initiate their toddlers to the dancing circle, Taylor said. “The families usually ask a dancer that they look up to (to dance with the toddler),” she said. Prize money is paid out to winners in each dance category, but organizers don’t want any participants to go away from the celebration disappointed, Taylor said, so additional prize money has been earmarked for payment to those youth who didn’t win any competing at dance.
Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson. Children dance Aug. 3 during the youth powwow of the 2017 Rocky Boy Celebration.
“If a dancer does not place in the contest, they will still get something from the powwow,” Taylor said. “All dancers who register get paid. We want to let our youth know how important they are to us, help them stay on this path of powwow because it’s everything, all into one.” Dancing helps youth and adults stay healthy and fit, she added, while keeping them connected to their culture. “We want to encourage that,” she said.
6
ROCKY BOY
CELEBRATION
August 2018
ROCKY BOY
www.havredailynews.com
Variety of vendors coming to Rocky Boy celebration Derek Hann dshann@havredailynews.com A wide variety of food vendors, as well as arts and craft vendors, will be at Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration, powwow committee Treasurer Loni Whitford Taylor said, adding that all the vendors are required to be Native American vendors. She said food trucks and arts and craft
Powwows ■ Continued from page 4 of certain sounds without regard to meaning — evolved so singers could share songs. Today, some songs are sung completely in vocables. Yet these songs, like songs with words, still hold significant meaning to those who know them. Songs are still being composed today. Songs still exist from pre-colonial times as well as recent wars. War, bravery, love and friendship are a few favorite themes.
The Grand Entry Although powwows may differ, depending on the location of type, the following is a system used by many powwows throughout the plains area. Many powwows use the following format: First the eagle staff is carried into the circle, followed by the American, Canadian, Montana and tribal flags. The titleholders from tribal pageants and — if present — Miss Indian America candidates. Other invited dignitaries are next, followed by the men traditional dancers first, then grass dancers and fancy dancers. Women come next, followed by traditional dancers, fancy shawl and jingle dress dancers. Next are the teen boys, then girls and then junior boys and girls in the same order as the adults. The last to enter are the tiny tot boys and girls. The dancers dance sun wise, or clockwise, around the arbor, showing the audience that they are ready to begin showing their outfits — the term costumes is seen by some as derogatory — and their dance steps letting them who watch know whom they are and what they can do. This may vary from tribe to tribe or powwow to powwow. When the grand entry song ends, there is a flag song, an equivalent of the national
vendors will be at the event, half being local vendors and half visiting, with several vendors coming from down South and some coming from Canada. Some of the arts and craft vendors will be selling Navajo jewelry, blankets, beads and clothing, although there will be no toys sold and no jump houses or those types of things, Taylor said. Some vendors will also sell traditional jewelry and regalia during the celebration,
she added. Some of the vendors have been doing these crafts for years, from families that have done them for generations. Taylor added that the vendor booths are a good way for people to make money and are quite popular for the powwow. She said she is particularly excited about the Burrito Shack, which serves deep-fried juneberry cheesecake, made with local juneberries.
Chippewa Cree Business Committee member Daryl Wright II, who will be an announcer at the powwow, said Native people do a good job as vendors each year, and they work hard to make the event a success. “All of our Native people do a good job and put in together some of the best foods that we have,” Wright said. He added that he is particularly excited for the neck bone soup.
anthem. Then there is an invocation blessing the gathering. After the eagle staff — always positioned above the American Flag to signify the first nation — is tied to the pole in the center of the arbor or brought to the announcers’ stand. A welcome is extended. and then there may be a few words by various dignitaries. When this portion of the ceremony is completed the dancing can begin.
veterans to carry and retrieve the spirit of the father. The pow-wow of today uses four veterans, representing the four cardinal directions to dance around the feather. The first two verses are straight verses with no down beat, paying respect to the Creator and the spirit of the fallen warrior. The next four verses will have the dancers charge the feather on the downbeat. The downbeat represents the cannon and gunfire in any song, so in the case of this ceremony, the veterans are charging the gunfire of the enemy. Each will charge with his right hand extended to touch or take coup. Those who have not taken coup will use an eagle feather fan, because they are not strong enough to touch the spirit. Again, this is very important to follow, because of the grave consequences to be paid if one insults the spirit. After the sixth verse, the honored veteran will pick the feather up with his left hand and give a war whoop to acknowledge the capture of the spirit of the feather. The veteran then returns the Eagle feather to its owner and the owner give him a gift in appreciation of the services that the veteran has performed for him.
all the songs to be sung. The head singer either starts the drumming/singing or selects another "lead" singer to begin the song. All other singers/drummers must wait for the signal for them to join in.
Songs The flag song is the Indian equivalent of the national anthem. In recent years, nearly every tribe has composed a flag song, dedicated to the men and women who have served in the armed forces in various wars. There is no dancing to this song, but all stand in respect. Certain women may traditional dance in place for their father, brother, or son who is or was a combat veteran. The flag song is sung at the beginning of most Indian activities. The honor songs are special songs dedicated to honor a particular person or persons. It is customary to stand in silence to show respect when an honor song is sung. The give-away song is one way of honoring certain individuals or groups among Indian people. Here the gesture is more important than the value of the gift. It is an honor to give and it usually takes great preparation.
The Eagle Feather If the eagle feather is dropped during a powwow everything comes to a halt until the feather is honored. Eagle feathers are treasured and precious to Indian people. Historically and traditionally, it is the right of any wounded warrior to retrieve a fallen eagle feather. The eagle feather is the spirit of a fallen warrior and can only be matched in power by the same. Recording and photographing such a ceremony is strictly forbidden. Those tribes that adhere to strict traditions and customs will allow only wounded
Head Staff To be selected as one of the head people is a high honor. The head people are selected not only for ability, but also for personal qualities and actions.
The Head Man And Woman Dancer The head man and head woman guide and direct all the dancers throughout the powwow weekend. The other dancers wait in respect until the head man and woman dancer start each song.
The Head Singer
The head singer of each drum must know
The Head Veteran The head veteran has the honor of carrying in the Indian flag at the very front of the precession of the dancers during Grand Entry. He also has the responsibility of "Retreating the Colors" at the end of each dance session.
Dancers Most dances seen at powwow today may have had different meaning in earlier days, but have evolved into the social dances of today. Although, dance style and content have changed, their importance to Indian People has not. You will see no religious dancers at powwows today.
Men’s Traditional Dance The traditional male dancer keeps an older dance style and expresses his own individuality by combining both contemporary and traditional styles in costumes. Although dance style varies depending on the individual, tribal and/or regional ties, there are certain items of apparel, which are common among most traditional male dancers. The traditional dancers execute a very graceful and dignified dance closely resembling styles of early days. The traditional dance style — also called contemporary traditional — emerged from the Northern Plains. It is based on the same traditions as old style, but became identifiably different sometime around the mid-1900s. Traditional outfits tend to use more modern materials, more feathers and ribbons, and larger bustles than old style outfits. The dancing itself tends to involve more movement and action. The dancing
www.havredailynews.com
CELEBRATION
August 2018
3
Everybody should at least get out and enjoy the beauty of what we have and appreciate what we have. Daryl Wright II Chippewa Cree Business Committee grand entry. Wright said that the powwow has been a longstanding annual celebration of the reservation and many tribes from across the state, country and world come to share in the festivities. Some of those are Blackfeet and Crow from Montana, Cree from Canada, Chippewa from the eastern part of the country and many others. He added that the Chippewa Cree Tribe is known for its hospitality and enjoys hosting the event. It is important that the community comes together as well as taking care of and inviting visitors, Wright said, adding that in this the tribe is passing good blessings. “To look after the people, invite them to your home, to look after them, when you do that they leave with a good feeling and take blessings with them,” Wright said. “But also you’re receiving good blessings, so we enjoy hosting and looking after one another.” Wright said this event is one that the community looks forward to every year, adding that this is a safe drug-free, alcohol-free, place for people to come together in celebration of the Native American heritage. “In this day and age people are moving so fast, with technology,” he said. He added that this event is an opportunity to celebrate inviting all the native tribes, including the eastern woodlands and the brothers and sisters from Canada. Creating a form of community even though they may not be in the same region anymore the line that connects all of the tribes to each other deserves to be celebrated, Wright said. “(We) are still acknowledging that brotherhood and that closeness we
Havre Daily News / Colin Thompson. An elder carrying a ceremonial staff precedes flagbearers leading the grand march Aug. 4 during the 2017 Rocky Boy Celebration Powwow.
share,” he added. Taylor said that the powwow will be hosting 38 dances in age categories from golden age to adult men and woman; teen and junior boys and girls; and tiny tot, including men’s grass, southern and northern fancy, chicken and traditional dances; women’s fancy, jingle, traditional, southern buckskin and cloth, and crow dances; and many others. Dances new to this powwow this year are the eastern male woodlands dance; the female applique/scrub; the male and female smoke dances. She added that Joe Tohonnie Jr. and the Apache Crown Dancers will be performing Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Wright said that he grew up watching the grass dancers and is his favorite dance during the powwow. He added that Rocky Boy Reservation has many champion dancers who go all over Native American country and do well everywhere they go. Grass dancing is important to the tribe because it is a part of its history, Wright said, adding that the tribe is a part of The Grass Dance Society. Wright said that, traditionally, the grass dancers were the first dancers to come out to “stomp down the grass” for the other dances. It was done in a way that was not fancy but flowed in smooth fluid motion interacting with the grass as the wind would. He added that his second favorite
dance is the men’s fancy dance. Wright said that everyone is more than welcome to come out and celebrate with them. “On behalf of one of the announcers, I would like to invite all tribes, all nations, inviting out even the people who are not familiar with the powwow,” he said. “ … I invite even our non-natives to come out and witness the beauty of our culture, of our people.” “Everybody should at least get out and enjoy the beauty of what we have and appreciate what we have,” he added. “We humbly invite everybody to see our annual celebration and we are looking forward to seeing all our visitors from near and far,” Taylor said.
2
ROCKY BOY
August 2018
CELEBRATION
ROCKY BOY
www.havredailynews.com
Rocky Boy invites everyone to a celebration of culture Derek Hann dshann@havredailynews.com
Daryl Wright II Chippewa Cree Business Committee
often resembles two things: the movements of animals, particularly birds, found in the Northern Plains, and the movements of a warrior showing off his ability and accomplishments in battle.
Men’s Traditional Southern Straight
A long-standing tradition, Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration Powwow, is about coming together as a community celebrating the rich native heritage, said Chippewa Cree Business Committee member Daryl Wright II, who will also be one of the announcers at the event. Along with the main powwow, Friday through Saturday, other events are held in conjunction such as the youth powwow Thursday and the rodeos at the Sybil Sangrey-Colliflower Memorial Arena near Box Elder. The youth rodeo is set for Tuesday and Wednesday and the adult event Friday and Saturday. Dustin Whitford, self-governance coord i n a to r fo r Ro c k y B oy ’s I n d i a n Reservation, said the event not only celebrates the culture of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, but brings together many cultures. “Culturally, ceremonially, historically our tribes have been involved with dancing, and this is one of the ways to continue that without having an actual ceremony,” he said, “but also to include other
(We) are still acknowledging that brotherhood and that closeness we share.
www.havredailynews.com
The straight dance comes originally from the Southern Plains, and has its origins in the dances of the warrior societies of several tribes. Often called the Indian tuxedo, the straight outfit looks much more tailored than those of other dance styles. There are few feathers and no bustles, which are instead replaced with cloth and ribbon work, giving the outfit a very sleek, clean appearance. Today, many bright colors and silver go into the outfit, providing the flash that is found in other outfits. Straight dancing tends to be smoother and involves less motion than other dance styles. It reflects the older, experienced warrior moving with the grace and ease of long practice as he surveys everything around him and sees that it is good.
Men’s Fancy Dance
Havre Daily News / Colin Thompson. Dancers perform in Aug. 4 in the 2017 Rocky Boy powwow. Rocky Boy’s 54th Annual Celebration is bringing people from around the United States and Canada to Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation this weekend, with related events starting earlier in the week like the youth powwow Thursday and the annual rodeo.
tribes and other people from other nationalities around the world — to involve themselves and to celebrate life,” he said. Loni Whitford Taylor, treasurer for the committee organizing the powwow, said Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation is known
for its hospitality and this year many things will be ready for the community as well as visitors to enjoy. Even though Rocky Boy Reservation is the smallest reservation in the state, the powwow is well known as the “granddaddy” of them all, Taylor said, adding that she believes this year will be the biggest one yet. Taylor said the nine powwow committee members worked all year organizing the event and raised money through a variety of fundraisers, such as a bingo
event all year at the casino, food sales and solicitation letters that were sent off in the local area. She added that the committee members’ families have provided a lot of support, and they couldn’t have organized the event without them. Taylor said each of the committee members will also be hosting special events throughout the powwow and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., will be present at the event Saturday evening for the
Men’s fancy dance is a modern-style dance that has its roots in old grass dance. This exuberant style of dance is fast paced and features elaborate footwork and high jumps. Fancy dancers wear sheep or sleigh bells to help maintain the rhythm of the dance and two feather bustles worn on the neck and back. These were at one time made of eagle feathers. Today, many are made of white and dark eagle feathers decorated with small colorful feathers called hackles. Men's fancy dance has its origins in the old Wild West shows of Buffalo Bill Cody and others. The managers of these shows felt that the dancing being done by the Indians in their shows was not interesting enough to hold the attention of the spectators, so they had the dancers create more colorful outfits and dance faster and with more motions. Since then, fancy dance has grown considerably, in large part with the help of contest powwows. The dance has become more and more colorful and faster over the years, with larger bustles, the additional of ribbons and, of course, all manner of dance steps intended to outdo all other dancers. The fancy outfit is distinguished by its two large, colorful feather bustles on the dancer's back, and the dance has larger motions and spins not seen in other dance styles.
Men’s Grass Dance Men’s grass dance features fluid, graceful, sweeping movements. Their colorful outfits
CELEBRATION
are hinged with yarn, ribbon or cloth. This dance style originated from the plains. The dancers move as if they are smoothing down the tall grass; hence, the name. There are several stories about the origin of grass dancing. Many people say that the dance started among the young men who where sent out to flatten the prairie grass to form a dance arena. Rather than just stomp down the grass, they turned the chore into a dance. It is also said that they tied bundles of sweet grass to their belts, and tried to imitate the movement of the tall prairie grass swaying in the wind. Thus, in the dance today, you can see the dancers swaying and moving in the "wind," as well as seeing motions that look like they are moving through or stomping down the grass. The grass dance outfit today is far more colorful than it has been in the past. The original bundles of grass have been replaced with ribbons, yarn or cloth strips. When dancing, the dancers try to get the entire fringe in their outfit moving constantly in the swaying motion of the prairie.
Women’s Traditional Dance In women’s traditional dance, the feet never completely leave the ground, which symbolizes women's close ties with mother earth. When Indians acquired cloth from white traders, they began to make much of their clothing from it. Many eastern woodland, plains and southwestern people make cloth shins and blouses, leggings, etc. that are elaborately decorated with ribbons and silver buttons. Ribbons are cut, folded and appliquéd to create geometric or abstract floral designs. Our people still make beautiful dresses out of buckskin. The most treasured buckskins are Indian tanned. Using traditional methods, the Indian tanning process makes the hides very white and soft as velvet. A tan color is achieved by smoking the hide. When the dress is finished, many hours of beading begins. Beading ranges from fully beaded tops — common among the Sioux — to beaded strips across the front shoulders and around the button of the dress — Southern Plains. The ladies' traditional style is actually a combination of four styles: northern buckskin, northern cloth, southern buckskin and couthern cloth. While similar in many ways, each of these styles has its own distinct style of dress and dancing. Like all dance styles, these have strong roots in customs and traditions that have been passed down for years. The outfits are based on traditional clothing from specific tribes, and thus there is a great deal of variation from one dancer to the next. The dancing itself also varies widely based on the
tribe represented, but always focuses on the grace and dignity of the dancer. The outfit often includes fringe on a shawl or the dress itself, along with other accessories, which must move in perfect time to the song.
Women’s Fancy Dance Women's fancy dance features very elaborate footwork and lots of beadwork. In the fancy dance categories, it is very important to know all the songs to stop exactly on the last beat. The women wear hinged shawls and try to match all accessories. Ladies' fancy shawl is the newest style of ladies' dancing, and is similar in several ways to men's fancy dance. Women's fancy dance emerged in the 1950s and 1960s — and became vastly more popular over the next 20 years — among young women who were looking for a more stylistic, and energetic, dance style. The dance is light, graceful and very athletic. The dancers move much like a butterfly, and their outfits are bright and colorful to match. Particular emphasis is given to the shawl, which is worn over the shoulders and spread out along the arms like wings.
Women’s Jingle Dress Women's jingle dress dancers wear very simple but beautiful cut-cloth dresses decorated with tin cones that jingle as they move. There are several stories about the origin of the jingle dress, but they mostly agree that it was first seen in a dream and was intended as a way to heal those who were ill. As one tradition tells it, this style of dance had its beginnings in a young Chippewa woman's dream, then grew into society. Another says after a medicine man's granddaughter became very ill, he had a dream that showed him how to make the dress and which instructed him to have her dance in it. When the dress was made, she wore it and danced, very weakly at first, but becoming stronger as she went until she was healed. Today, jingle dance specials are sometimes requested by those with friends or relatives who are sick. The dress is made with a large number of tin lids — originally from the tops of snuff cans but now made from tin lids off chewing tobacco cans — rolled into cones and attached to the dress. Some traditions call for 365 cones, one for each day of the year. As the jingle dancer moves, her dress makes a very distinctive sound. The Chippewa Cree Events Committee adds other dance style categories as a sign of respect and hospitality to visiting tribes,
August 2018
7
styles like men's prairie chicken, men's crow belt, men's southern straight and women's elk tooth crow style.
Powwow Etiquette Etiquette for spectators and newcomers: Listen to the master of ceremonies. If you do nothing else on this list, at least do this. The benches in the arena are normally reserved for dancers. Be prepared to provide your own chairs. Ask permission to take photos or videos of individual dancers — shots of groups or the arena as a whole are usually fine. Listen to the MC for times that you should not take pictures. Always stand, if able, during social honoring songs. These will be announced by the MC. Gentlemen should also remove their hats. All pets and food should be kept outside the dance arena at all times, even between dance sessions. Only dance during intertribal songs or when you are invited to dance. Do not dance during competition. If you have a question, ask. If you are honestly interested and curious, most people will be happy to answer your questions.
Etiquette For Dancers Listen to the master of ceremonies and, most importantly, listen to the arena director. Respect the positions of the head dancers. Don't dance before the head dancers start dancing. Seats on the benches may be reserved with a blanket. Never move or sit on someone else's blanket without permission. Be on time and ready to dance in full regalia. Dress properly in appropriate dance clothes — if you don't know what's appropriate, ask. Respect the protocol of the group sponsoring the powwow. This often includes dancing around the arena in a particular direction. Stand for all specials and other honoring songs. Certain items should only be used by those who are qualified according to the traditions of their tribe. These include war bonnets, rattles, whistles and religious items. Firearms — even nonoperational ones — lances with points and unsheathed knives should not be carried while dancing for safety reasons. If you feel you must carry one of these items, speak with the arena director ahead of time. All specials must be coordinated with the MC. You may be required to have it at a certain time or dance session. This is to benefit the entire powwow, so please be understanding. Never come to a powwow with alcohol or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
8
ROCKY BOY
August 2018
CELEBRATION
www.havredailynews.com