Features
the stentorian
February 27. 1995
Celebrations of Culture Enr
By HOPE JACKSON
Features Editor
The early morning sun gazes
down at the parking lot quickly
filling with autos from across the
country. There is an undercurrent
of excitement as traders begin to
unload their wares onto the display
tables. Copper and turqoise jewelry
flash on one table, boxes of soft,
leather mocassins hide beneath
another, waiting to be bought.
Inside the change rooms, dancers
garb themselves in traditional
regalia in preparation for the
opening ceremony. It is February,
and the annual Powwow is here.
What is the significance of this
annual event? In the words of Dana
Long of the copy center, “The
Powwow is a
chance for people
to come in good
spirits, to reunite,
to catch up, and to
learn from those
around you.”
For months, news of our
Powwow has been spreading
throughout the Indian
community, both of North
Carolina and of others parts
of the country. Native
Americans from various
tribes including the Lumbee,
Cherokee, and Haliwa-
Saponi will come to dance
traditional Indian dances,
sing the songs of the drum,
and meet friends whom they
have not seen in years.
“It is a grand reunion of
friends. You never know
who will show up”, says Joe
Liles, an art instructor at
NCSSM.
The Powwow was begun four
years ago, the brainchild of Native
American students at NCSSM. “The
intention was to let all Indian
cultures in North Carolina know
we’re here, that their children are
welcome, and they will find support
at NCSSM. We hope to up Native
American applicants”, says Ms.
Long.
Rhiannon Giddens, a senior who
is part Native American, says, “I
feel like this year, the spirits are
good. People I’ve talked to are
really excited. This year, knowing
that I would be able to sing and
dance in the Powwow has helped
me through. Although it’s been a
tough year, the Powwow has given
me something to look forward to.”
The organization of the
Powwow is no small feat. It
involves careful planning, the
inviting of special Indian people to
make it run smoothly, and good
spirit from all
involved
to
The chosen people of whom Ms.
Long speaks include the Master of
Ceremonies, the Head Man Dancer,
the Head Lady Dancer, and the Host
Drum. The Master of Ceremonies
(abbreviated M.C.) is responsible
for seeing that the Powwow keeps
going. He announces the Grand
Entry, welcomes the dancers into
the arena, and announces people of
honor as they enter the circle. This
year’s M.C. will be Eddie Benton-
Banai of the Lac Courte Orielles
Reservation in Wisconsin. Mr.
Join
Circle
Dancers spend years
making regalia, adding to
it each year, so that the
Powwow can become quite
a show of colorful feathers
and jingling fringe.
fm
ensure that all sacred traditions are
upheld and that all feel welcomed.
Ms. Long says that, “It is (our)
responsibility to put forth an effort
to choose people (to run the
Powwow) who are walking The Red
Road - who attempt to understand
their response, to behave in an
appropriate way. An elder once
said ‘My grandmother taught me
that every step, every breath, every
word is a prayer.’ It can’t be about
ego or showboating. You have to
come together in good hearts.”
Benton is a priest and medicine man
of the Ojibway tribe.
The Head Man Dancer and the
Head Lady Dancer are responsible
for leading all the dances. When
they step into the circle and move
past the dancers waiting along the
sides, the dancers can step into the
circle.. The Head Man and Lady
Dancers this year are special
because they are both teenagers,
and the NCSSM Powwow will be
their first official responsibility.
The Head Man Dancer is Lumbee
Indian Alex Ross, who is currently
in the tenth grade. Ninth grader
Sallie Jacobs, also Lumbee, will be
the Head Lady Dancer.
Before the Powwow begins, the
dance arena is blessed by an elder,
and it becomes a sacred place that
no one enters unless they dance or
sing. The host drum, which will
this year be made up in part by past
NCSSM alumni, starts the Powwow
with the Grand Entry song. All the
dancers are led in by the Color
Guard holding the Indian Flag, the
American Flag, and the Powwow,
and stand in place while the host
drum plays the Flag Song. A prayer
is then delivered in a native
language, followed by the Veterans’
Song. After this Grand Entry, the
day is spent listening to the
pounding of the drums, watching
the intricate dances and the display
of ornate regalia, and trying to resist
the urge to buy everything that the
traders have to offer.
The Powwow is a very
meaningful part of the
Indian culture. To Lane
Wright, SLI, the
experience is highly
spiritual. “A step into
the circle is like being
one with all people in it,
with the Savior, like
being a prayer. Your
spirit and body become
one in worship of the
creator.” Lane says that
every motion and every
word is symbolic to the
native people. Even the
dance steps symbolize
“how First Man tested the
ground when he first
stepped on earth.”
Ms. Long agrees. “When you
go into the circle, you’re entering a
sacred area. I think the feeling that
you get is love. This is something
that people are sharing as the
Creator intended for people to share
love.”
Joe Liles, who sponsors
Akweikon along with Ms. Long,
feels that the Powwow “can be
magical. When the spirit is just
right, it’s like you are transported
to another time and place.” Mr.
Liles assured me that he was not