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Post by Jaga on Aug 11, 2007 16:15:44 GMT -7
Every year we have here in Idaho, 40 miles from Idaho Falls, an Indian gathering, so called Pow-wow.
It is the fourth largest pow-wow in the US. It is organized in Shoshone-Bannock reservation. It is lovely since the majority of people there are REAL Indians and relatively few visitors like us.
We came today to see the festival in a right time, they still had a parade, Indians from many tribes and many regions of country (Oklahoma, Texas, Idaho) and even in Canada were there.
Please see some pictures. I had to be a bit conspicuous with the pictures since Indians do not like to be treated like monkeys...
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Post by Jaga on Aug 11, 2007 16:16:50 GMT -7
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Post by Jaga on Aug 11, 2007 16:22:23 GMT -7
I was there once maybe three years ago, but this time I felt more good energy, there were lots of young people attending, with the families. Lots of beautiful kids. It really looks that the tradition is not dissapearing. What is more, I saw many guys, not overweight (sometimes in the past Indians were very overweight), doing stuff, not drinking etc. Beautiful girls, devoted mothers... so hopefully the life in reservation is getting better and the community is preserved. It was so amazing to see so many Indians in one place! More pictures below:     |
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Post by Jaga on Aug 11, 2007 16:23:56 GMT -7
and a couple of more pictures:   |
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Post by Jaga on Aug 11, 2007 16:27:45 GMT -7
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Post by bescheid on Aug 11, 2007 17:12:26 GMT -7
What a wonderful experience! And all so colourful......For this would be some thing to watch! Such fun to watch!
I was thinking of this. I never had thought of the Indians in Canada meeting for such an event. I am sure they must.
Charles
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Post by Jaga on Aug 13, 2007 7:48:55 GMT -7
Charles,
I am glad you liked it!
It seems that there was even a bigger pow-wow in DC in the same time, but I liked it here in Idaho!
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Post by rdywenur on Aug 13, 2007 8:41:38 GMT -7
Very nice photos Jaga and the costumes are so colorful. Maybe for Halloween Ella will wish to be Princess Summer,Fall, Winter, Spring. (In case you are saying what?  she is from a childrens show the Howdy Doody Show with Buffalo Bob Smith back in the 50's) |
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Post by kaima on Aug 13, 2007 9:14:38 GMT -7
I haven't been to any pow-wow's, but have been to a number of potlatches in Alaska, probably the Alaskan equivalent. Our natives never speak of pow-wow.
It is good to see all of the efforts to maintain and rebuild native cultures. There is the usual tension between dominant cultures and the indigenous cultures, (the dominant is always the bad guy, and the indigenous romanticized unnecessarily).
One of my early experiences was in an Eskimo village where I lived for 4 or 5 months. It was rather surprising when one of the natives just said, 'stand over there and let me take your picture"! I had to laugh - it rather reversed the role of tourist and native (I was there as a temporary resident building a new airport).
Some tourists are quite insensitive and will enter a village and walk into a house without knocking just to look around, as if the whole place were a giant museum put up for their entertainment and the natives were not deserving of everyday courtesies.
But back to the important part - the pow-wow's are an active way the Indians can maintain & rebuild their cultures. Your comment about the initial Indians being fat and the current ones being leaner is one good sign of this. I read that to mean that the older folks started it and now the younger people are taking a very active part, quite a healthy development.
I would like to see them get so far that they rebuild their pride and their cultures and get out of the poverty and problems that currently engulf so many, and put the 'blame game' behind them and start to take part in society as proud and independent peoples. How would I expect that to manifest itself? Perhaps as the Puerto Rican culture has done in the Untied States. They are a part of us, yet they are different and often readily identifiable; they produce national athletes and scientists and scholars, and they have their own way of life - and its share of problems - both on their Island and in our society as a whole.
On a side topic, I find that when I am in Czech & Slovak Republics it is easiest to refer to "Indian-Eskimo" when I talk of the Eskimo in Alaska. Everyone recognizes Indian, and the term prepares the people for the topic of the Eskimo, which for most of the Europeans are all the same, whereas in Alaska they are quite distinct. To the natives, we are all 'white men', and to us most natives are indistinguishable, so it cuts both ways....
Kai
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Post by hollister on Aug 13, 2007 11:42:01 GMT -7
Jaga,
Did you have a chance to try fry bread?
I have been to several Pow-Wows over the years. Do you know who the drummers were?
I could see the women in "Jingle Dresses" and those preparing for a Blanket Dance. The guys in the very colorful feathers etc - will do a traditional Plains Tribe dance.
Nice pictures
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Post by bescheid on Aug 13, 2007 12:28:13 GMT -7
As not to be a vehicle of prolongation of this thread. I have only just a small addition to add with.
But, a situation had arrison in concerns to the death of an Indian young lady close to the {North West Territories} north in Saskatchewan whilst I was assigned at the Government Building in Regina {Saskatchewan}. This under authority of our Consulate office {Regina}. For it should remembered, this is the training centre for the RMCP authority.
Whilst in the progress of my duties. In process of reports for transcribe with our computer programme in compliance with Interpol, {this was under an agreement between Canadian Government and ours for mutual assistance in Criminal investigation access computer programme}.
A very deplorable criminal situation arose between some 3 teenage whites and the death of a very lovely young Indian school lady.
Whilst the young Indian native lady was walking to her home along a winter snow restricted narrow roadway. These young fellows driving with the auto of ones parents. They accosted this young Indian lady, raped her and murdered her with the use of a screw driver, then left her to die in the ice cold of winter snow.
The local police passed this off as an unsolved homicide. But, was forwarded in this stead to the RCMP as a possible known murder by local known suspects.
With short and long as it is, the RCMP acquired the information through their investigation, conducted an arrest of all 3 young suspects, gained a conviction and were all prosecuted to the fullest.
It was disclosed through the efforts of the RCMP, the case was of first, to be dismissed by local investigation authorities, as closed for reason of Indian case of being less worthy then that of whites for reasons of prosecution.
In the after math of this, I was to wonder, for what reason of North American values, in as much to that of these Indian people, are as people? For are they as subhuman in terms of value?
The investigation people were not timid with the multitude of photographs of the body or scene for compilation purposes.
One of the Indian ladies {East Indian} in my office was crying in tears whilst compiling and transcription of this criminal case unto our programming. It was a worry and bothersome situation upon my part. For even though I have a history of exposure to death and disgusting smells, I was first applaud by the apparent disregard of the original investigation team of the local authorities.
Charles
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Post by Jaga on Aug 13, 2007 13:19:24 GMT -7
Jaga, Did you have a chance to try fry bread? I have been to several Pow-Wows over the years. Do you know who the drummers were? I could see the women in "Jingle Dresses" and those preparing for a Blanket Dance. The guys in the very colorful feathers etc - will do a traditional Plains Tribe dance. Nice pictures Holly, I am not that familiar with all the details of the pow-wow... They had a fry bread but I ate it a year ago in Blackfood (at least I think so). Since we ate lunch just before we came there we decided not to eat too much. |
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she is from a childrens show the Howdy Doody Show with Buffalo Bob Smith back in the 50's)
