Middle School

Jordann McLain

An event in which friends and family gather to celebrate the seasonal renewal of life.

Inside look: Traditional Pow Wow

Origin of the term Prohibition of Powwows Religious naming and honoring

ceremonies

June through September

Go “on the circuit”:Travel

Camping Visiting friends

Share Native foods Beadwork Pottery

Blessed by elder members of the tribe to clear negative spirits and influencesBurning of tobacco or sagePrayers and songs

Symbolism of Organization

http://www.neoam.cc.ok.us/~continued/images/Powwow.jpg

Picture link:

Grand opening of the ceremonyThe Eagle Staff is brought into the circle,

followed by the American, Canadian, and tribal flags. Any title holders from tribal pageants, etc are next. The men are next in the order as follows: traditional dancers, grass dancers, fancy shawl dancers and jingle dress dancers. Junior boys, then junior girls follow in the same order. Last come the little boys and the little girls.

The dancers perform clockwise around the arbor. Their steps signify their identity and importance.

Men’s traditional dance

Men’s grass dance

Men’s fancy dance

Jingle dress dance

Intertribal dance

http://www.blueclou

d.org/powwow.html

Informational link:

Recorded never writtenLearned by singers and dancers both

Traditional: very importantTypes

Different for each ceremonySung in:

Native tongue English “vocables” or sounds that replace words

Important symbol to Native American cultureRepresents harmony and peace, among

other things. The formation of a Powwow is a circle, representing the harmony, peace, and circle of life of their people.

DO NOT “Cross the Circle”

http://www.artmaxine.com/images/Circle.jpg

Picture link:

“To Dakota and most Native Americans, the eagle feather is sacred. When one falls from a dancer's outfit, the powwow stops and a ceremony is performed to restore the feather's lost power for good. Four traditional dancers, usually veterans, dance around the feather from four directions and usually attack four times to retrieve it. While traditions differ among tribes, four is a sacred number for all tribes.”

http://www.bluecloud.org/powwow.html

Link for Quote:

Browner, T. (2002). Heartbeat of the People: Music and Dance of the Northern Pow-Wow. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press.

Roberts, C. (1998). Powwow Country: People of the Circle. Missoula, MT: Meadowlark.

http://fsst.org/fsst_powwows.html http://www.bluecloud.org/powwow.html

PICTURES: GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCHES

Links on each PowerPoint page