Young dancers perform at the SeaFair Powwow in 2006.
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LOCAL POWWOWS
The Suquamish
The Suquamish Tribe on Bainbridge Island holds its annual “Chief Seattle Days” during the third week of August. Events include a memorial service at Chief Seattle’s gravesite, a salmon and clam bake, a Powwow and canoe races.
The tribe’s museum tells the history of the Suquamish. There are videos of elders recounting memories about traditional games and growing up. A replica of Ole Man House, a 600-foot longhouse that served as home for leaders and a site for community festivities, is on display in the museum in remembrance of the original longhouse built at the water's edge. There’s an exhibit on the importance of canoes in Suquamish culture.
Getting There: Chief Seattle Days, Aug. 16-18. Admission to the museum, $4 adults; $2 children (12 and under); open Friday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October through April, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May through September. 360-598-3311; www.suquamish.nsn.us/museumDirections: From Seattle take the Bainbridge Island ferry. Take Highway 305 toward Poulsbo. Follow signs to “Suquamish Museum and Tribal Center.” From the Bremerton ferry, take Highway 303 to Highway 3 to Highway 305 and follow the signs.
Swirling colors, sparkling beadwork and jingling bells announce the beginning of the powwow – the Grand Entry. The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is the peak season for Native American powwows. Watching this colorful celebration of cultural survival, connection to Mother Earth and to one another is an exciting and fun experience for the whole family.
There are a number of sizable powwows in the Puget Sound area, both off and on reservations, such as the Puyallup and Muckleshoot. One of the biggest is SeaFair Indian Days Powwow, July 18-20 at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center at Seattle’s Discovery Park. Sponsored by United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, this celebration averages 500 dancers and 25 drums.
Dancing, singing, and drumming are the key elements of a powwow. The dance arena is in the center, with drumming groups surrounding it. The drummers and singers rotate songs for the dancers. Remember not to walk through or enter this area during the powwow except when invited to dance.
The vendors selling art and food, like Indian Fry Bread, fill out the grounds. Altogether, there is much to do and watch, making for a full and varied day.
Like many powwows, this one starts on Friday evening with a Grand Entry – a processional time for all dancers to show their style and regalia. Throughout the powwow, competitive dancers (those wearing numbers) are judged on their style within their age groups – from Tiny Tots under 6 years old, to boys and girls up to 12, to adolescent girls and boys to up to 18, to adult men, adult women, and finally Golden Age (over 50 years old). Except for the youngest, they must dance to the beat and finish on the last drum beat.
Knowing the different types of dance styles makes watching powwows fun. The men and boys have Fancy Dancing, Grass Dancing and Traditional Dancing. The women and girls have Fancy Shawl Dancing, Jingle Dancing, and Traditional Dancing. From jingles to feathers, buckskin to bustles, outfits have different looks to match different types of dance.
Their fast and fancy footwork, involving much twirling and spinning, separates the Men’s Fancy Dance from others. Two large bustles of colored feathers in the back, one hanging from the neck and the other from the waist, distinguish this dancer’s outfit.
The swaying movement of a cape edged with yarn and fringe represents tall prairie grass blowing in the wind. The Grass Dancer represents the men who flattened the grass of the plains to make a space for others to dance. However, the name “grass dancer” is said to come from tying sweet grass to their belts. This dancer’s regalia features long wires on the headdress that look like antennae.
Men’s Traditional Dancers wear different types of regalia, but nearly all have a breastplate and a single bustle on the lower back. Their dance can represent a traditional warrior hunting, with the dancer low to the ground at the beginning. Another dance has them hopping to the beat of the drum.
The women’s Jingle Dancer has one of the most distinctive outfits. The cotton dress with about 500 cone shaped “jingles” attached to it with ribbon makes a tinkling sound when she moves. The jingles are traditionally made from snuff lids! The dancers may also carry a small handbag and fan.
The Fancy Shawl Dancer wears a shiny, lightweight dress and has a fringe-covered shawl worn over the shoulders. When she dances, the shawl is held out as she twirls. The fancy footwork done in a zigzag pattern is critical to this dancer as she strives to look like a floating butterfly.
The Women’s Traditional Dancer is more delicate and sophisticated in her steps than the other two. This dancer glides with small steps keeping her feet close to the ground. She will generally wear buckskin knee-high moccasins, a long buckskin skirt and a tank top covered with a buckskin yoke with long fringe strips hanging down. A shawl over her arm and a feather fan in her hand complete her outfit.
Many children start dancing with their parents when they are 4 or 5. During this period, they may compete as Tiny Tots or just join in the open dances for experience. As they learn the dances, they are also learning how to follow the beat of the drum and stop on time.
At any powwow, audience members are invited into the arena for a couple of songs. This can be a wonderful opportunity for your family to become a part of the powwow experience – even if you don’t think you dance well. Powwow – a time to dance.
