Powwow

To be an Indian in contemporary America means that you have a rich heritage and that you also have to fight to keep that heritage alive. Some ways that you keep that heritage alive is to go to Powwows. According to Anton Treuer in his book, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask, “powwows are primarily dance events” which are secular and “open to people of all tribes, genders, ages, and races” (Treuer, 68). Powwows are also sober environments, no drugs and alcohol are allowed on the premises. Powwows do a lot to continue on the traditional dances of Native Americans, and many have dance competitions where winners receive prize money. According to the video we watched called Wacipi Powwow about a powwow in Minnesota,
the beat of the drum is the heartbeat of the powwow and the dancing. There are different types of dances, depending on geographic location of the powwow.
Different regalia, not costumes, are worn during different dances, the Jingle Dress dance for example has bells made out of tobacco tin tops and bottoms formed into a cone-like shape. The video also showed how powwows generate a sense of community, because during the summer Native American families sometimes go to a different powwow each weekend and form bonds with people, some people even meet their future wife or husband at powwows. Another way contemporary Native Americans preserve their tradition is to preserve their language. Many Native American tribes have been trying to preserve their language by creating online programs to teach their language to the younger generation like the Arikara tribe. Others like the Navajo are preserving both their language and their traditional stories by creating children’s shows like the Raven Tales which tell stories like how the first Navajo came to be in the Navajo language, and creating episodes of the Berenstein Bears in the Navajo language. Part of being Indian in contemporary America means taking on this responsibility to yourself and your people to carry on traditions that were preserved during the years of colonization and
assimilation. Being an Indian in contemporary America also means dealing with the fact that well over half or your ethnicity was killed by genocide barely over 500 years ago, whether with chemical warfare like smallpox or in combat with the settlers. So being and Indian in contemporary America is learning to cope with the scars left by that time period. Some Native American turn to humor to help alleviate the pain. The comedian Charlie Hill took his humor to the nightclubs and eventually became very popular. Another Native American to use comedy to get at central issues that need to be addressed in contemporary society is the author Sherman Alexie who both stuns and makes his crowd laugh when he reads aloud form his book at book signings. Additionally, Native Americans have started Youtube channels to let out their frustrations and to get more publicity for their comedy acts. The comedy group the 1491’s use humor to make statements about how Native Americans are being treated and to just make fun of themselves in their videos online like “I’m an Indian Too” and “Honor Song.” Another unfortunate ways that some Native Americans handle the scars of their past is to turn to alcohol. In the film we watched called, Recovering the Spirit, or Nagikicopi, Native American alcoholism is discussed. The Alcoholics Anonymous meetings were not helping the Native Americans who were trying to quit drinking because of their primarily Christian based teachings. So a group of Native Americans came up with the Red Road way. The Red Road way is catered more to Native Americans and has really helped many who have tried it. Whether dealing with their heritage with humor or alcohol or celebrating their heritage at powwows, there is no question that the past is still very important for Native Americans and learning about it and handling it is an essential part of being a Native American in contemporary America today.