It was truly a privilege to once again be able to attend a Native American powwow. Powwows are gatherings of American Indians to celebrate their shared culture with an emphasis on music, drumming and dance. Threading Our Legacies Powwow was held at the basketball arena on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. The Ute, Shoshone and Navajo tribes seemed to be the most well-represented tribes there, but it also seemed as though people had come from far and wide to participate. During the Grand Entrance which begins the powwow, hundreds of dancers followed the eagle staff and flags onto the floor and there were at least 5 drum groups to provide the rhythm of the day. Powwows are incredibly colorful events with participants wearing beautiful regalia which takes many hours to create. These photos are just a small sampling of the people who participated in the day but I hope they will give you some idea of how beautiful it was and how awesome it was to be there.
I felt truly privileged to experience Cultural Days with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on their Reservation on the shores of Lake Superior. It was a beautiful day to celebrate their culture. In addition to all of the dancing, chanting and beautiful regalia pictured here, there were also stations set up to learn more about the culture of the Anishinaabe people. I helped render down bear fat and learned about its healing qualities, drank cedar and wintergreen tea and ate smoked fish, fried walleye and bear cracklins. I also learned about birch-bark basket making, heard some wonderful flute and drum music and watched some traditional gambling games. My favorite experience of the day was throwing a spear using an atlatl which is something I had only ever seen in museums before. I have been very fortunate in my life to have experienced Native American culture in several different parts of the country, and to be able to attend a festival like this one is truly special. The people of the Red Cliff Band were particularly welcoming and really helped me understand their culture better for which I am forever grateful. They even got me to join in on several of their spot dances which was just wonderful. It’s a different experience to be inside the circle looking out than outside the circle looking in. I hope you enjoy these photos which will give you a glimpse into the magic of the day.
It's going to be a short one this week as I haven't been able to get out and do a whole lot. I'm coming to you this week from Bryson City, just outside of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, in North Carolina.
Last week was, in fact, my last in South Carolina. I did get out to Cowpens National Battlefield as mentioned last week, and it's a really interesting Revolutionary War Site. From there I took a nice slow drive down scenic Route 11, and then took the 25 straight out of the state. It's a strangely emotional feeling to move out of a state I've been in for over a month. Even though I move around quite a bit, I feel like I become a part of it and it becomes a part of me. It's like I've been living there for a while. I had a great time in South Carolina and really think it has a lot to offer. Having gone into the state with little knowledge of it beyond the coast, I was surprised at how much it had to offer. It certainly was another great month on the road in America…
