Published: July 11, 2008 11:06 am         

Seminars keep traditions alive

Experts pass on knowledge, heritage

DANVILLE — Along with providing many opportunities for fun, National Powwow 14 allows attendees to learn as well.

In an effort to meet the demands after the 2005 Powwow, educational seminars on various topics made their way into this year’s schedule.

The seminars took over the 4-H exhibit building on Thursday with topics including moccasin and loose fan construction, and feather work.

Dick King gave a presentation explaining the Kiowa Gourd dance, which attendees can see for themselves later in the week. Gourd dancing, a form of war dancing, is traditionally part of men’s society, although this has changed somewhat recently.

King explained that the dance’s name is a bit of a misnomer.

"When they translated the Kiowa word for rattle, they couldn’t get that word in English. The closest they could get was gourd. So, it’s not improper to call it the rattle dance."

The dance uses drums and rattles to keep the beat, which changes depending on where the dancers are in the particular session. Typically a slow-paced “calling” song begins as a way of pulling the people from the camps, and King played a recording of such a song.

King was careful to emphasis that there is no right or wrong way to perform the gourd dance — that there are variations from tribe to tribe and individual to individual.

"The way I was taught, the dancers stay seated the whole time during the first song, but then, once the beat changes, you stand up,” he said.

Two steps make up this dance, alternations between traveling — essentially walking — and bouncing.

As with many aspects of Native American culture, the gourd dance’s history is deeply rooted in mythology.

"The warrior hears singing, but he didn’t know where it was coming from," King explained. "So he crept up and found the red wolf, singing its song. The mythology says that the wolf passed his songs on, and that is why you hear the howl in the music. It is out of respect for the red wolf."

During the seminar, King also detailed the basic outfit for gourd dancing, again stressing that, while there are some broad rules which everyone follows, not wearing shorts, for example, there is a lot of variation.

"You can’t say this is always done this way. It never works that way with the Native American People," he said.

Barbara Dreher’s seminar about Lady Crow dressing also demonstrated the prevalence of variation. Dreher began attending Powwow’s in 1973 with her now husband. She is proud to be Crow by both marriage and adoption, after a Crow woman ‘adopted’ her and took her on the path to be and feel Crow.

"I lost that connection as she has moved away, but I continued to research the details because I was in love," she said before detailing the history and construction of the instantly recognizable elk tooth dress.

Originally made of brain tanned sheep, the elk horn dress began as a wedding dress constructed by the groom’s family as an indication of the husband’s abilities as a provider. The dress is no longer only for these purposes and is typically made from wool rather than hide. The general construction of the dress has remained largely unchanged however, with long sleeves, a body skimming style with a belt, and neck trim.

Dreher explained that she used whatever books she could find, the Internet and Crow women she met to get the details correct.

"Pictures are the best. If you find a dress that you really like, take as many pictures as you can. Then you have something tangible that you can go back to," she said.

Traditionally, the elk tooth dress is navy blue or dark green with a red trim, although it is common to see virtually any color combination. Women also can decide on different sizes of trim, how large the selvages should be, and of course, how many teeth.

There are many decisions to be made about the teeth, as the scarcity for actual elk teeth has led to the production of fake ones using many different materials such as resin and plastic. The number of teeth is fairly important as well, with 400 teeth considered by most Crow women as "respectable."

"Then there is teeth placement," Dreher said, "which is where you decide how many teeth you want and sew twice as many on by the time you’re finished." Dreher hand tied each individual tooth on her dress in order to make sure they were secure.

In addition to the dress itself, women are encouraged to make their outfits individualized with various accessories, which Dreher also addressed.

These, along with the many other seminars throughout the weekend allow attendees of all levels of knowledge to learn more about various aspects of Native American culture. The presenters also discuss various other sources which people can use to further their education at home.

The seminars not only heighten enjoyment of the powwow by enhancing understanding of unfamiliar customs, but they also help to keep the traditions alive.