The Pow Wow has ended for another year.
All that remains are the memories.
Memories of little boys eating popcorn, beautiful girls in pink dresses, men with eagle feather staffs, women in jingle dresses and buckskin.
Dignity
Every time I close my eyes, images rush in. Solemn-faced natives stare out from the Mind’s eye. All these hours later, the Pow Wow stays at the forefront of consciousness. The drum-beat continues in my heart. The Pow Wow goes on, even though I am now at home ready to do dishes, to finish cleaning the house for tomorrow’s company, trying to write this blog.
Beautiful little girls in pink
My friend Denise showed me how to ask folks to take their photos. If you read yesterday’s blog, you know how hard that was. But by the time these two little girls happened by, I was a pro. “Can I take their picture?” I asked their mom, and she smiled, nodded, seemingly pleased. The girls spread their smiles for the camera to capture.
Little boy eating popcorn between the dancing
Then there were little boys, with their shy grins. This one’s ribbon shirt showed that someone cared for him. Someone lovingly sewed the ribbons on his shirt, teaching him his culture through this tender gesture.
A bowl of turtle shells for sale
The vendors sold everything from traditional Native American jewelry to books to beads to turtle shells. I did not buy anything. Here is the part of the blog where I apologize to my daughter. Kiah, I am sorry. I could not find the beautiful native jewelry you wanted. If you were there, walking along the dirt road, peeking into the many vendor’s shops, you may have discovered something you loved. But I am not a jewelry-person, and to discover that extra-special necklace or earring or bracelet for you proved impossible. I am so sorry… the dream-catcher (was it a necklace?) from last year will have to do…
Today I came early and listened to a native guitar player singing in the arena before Grand Entry. Sipped coffee. Waited for my friend Susan to arrive. And arrive she did! We watched Grand Entry together before eating a bowl of corn soup. We talked and talked, catching up on at least a hundred subjects before it was time to go home.
Time to go?
The rain drizzled and poured and drizzled and stopped. All weekend. The rain continued to do its rain-thing and the people tried to stay dry beneath the tall pines which surrounded the campgrounds. Umbrellas came up, and umbrellas went down.
It’s beautiful in the campground in the early morning, before everyone is awake and around. There’s a few campfires burning, but the tents generally remain still. You can walk around the dirt road which encircles the campsite, around and around, feeling gratitude and love for this sacred gathering.
It’s a special event. Until next year, then…
21 comments
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July 26, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Cindy Lou
More beauty shared….love the little girls! When I lived in town, the campgrounds were one of my favorite places to walk – rain or shine or winter snow. There were never any people there and it felt like walking in a cathedral…..never failed to soothe my soul.
Got my battery yesterday, but it didn’t fix my computer problem and Ricky’s taking his back to work tomorrow as mine goes off to the doctor (AKA Baraga Telephone). Hopefully, it’s fixable and doesn’t take too long! Until then……
July 27, 2009 at 9:41 am
centria
Cindy, darn! I am sorry that the battery didn’t solve the computer problem. Hopefully the “doc” can fix it soon. I feel your pain… Last winter (maybe January, after starting the blog) I walked in the campground and took lots of photos. For some reason, none of them felt right to post. But know what you mean about that place soothing the soul. For some reason, it truly does.
July 26, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Nature Lovin' Super Mama
Wow, I am so jealous. A friend took me to a pow wow when were kids, and I have longed to return to one. There are some in Petoskey in the summers, but I always miss them. I heard about the great get together un north there and have always wanted to go…You will have to let me know when it is next year! Great photo’s! Glad you had a good time!:)
July 27, 2009 at 9:43 am
centria
I hope you can come! That would be so much fun. It’s always the fourth weekend in July, at least it has been for many years. You would love it, I’m sure. You can bring the Mt. Man and Peanut and camp in a tent and you can be lulled to sleep by the beating of drums. Well, you might not be able to get to sleep early. The activity keeps hopping half the night. But you could camp way down the road and then it’s more quiet.
July 26, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Gerry
The Internet is quivering tonight, dropping signals, losing posts, and keeping me from seeing the photos you made! I did get all of “Dignity” and it is a grand image and will do for now. More tomorrow . . .
July 27, 2009 at 9:45 am
centria
Gerry, you never fail to impress me with your words. The Internet is “quivering”. Oh my…isn’t it interesting how we can tell a story about the Internet “quivering” and suddenly it’s not just screwing up…it’s eccentric. It’s playful. It’s…almost…entertaining. I remember the days when this Internet “quivered” regularly. I wasn’t as patient or cheerful as you seem to be.
July 27, 2009 at 6:29 am
janet
This looks like a lovely place for a pow wow. How cool that you get to dance! You got some great shots. Mmmm fry bread:-)
There are two of them here in GR each summer; one in June and one in September. The June one was noticeably smaller than usual. It was sad to me. It seemed there were about half as many people and vendors.
July 27, 2009 at 9:47 am
centria
Janet, you would like the tall pines and the atmosphere there, truly. I wish I could eat fry bread. I wanted to all weekend, but remembered my “quivering” gall bladder (sorry, see above comment with Gerry about the world “quivering”) and ate wild rice and corn soup instead. My friend Susan was going to look for just the perfect place to buy fry bread and have a piece yesterday afternoon. Some people did say they thought our Pow Wow had got smaller with less vendors over the years. I couldn’t really tell for sure. It was still fun! Come up one othese years, how ’bout it?
July 27, 2009 at 7:07 am
flandrumhill
What a handsome man in the first photo! I love it that he has his sunglasses on his forehead.
Do you know anything more about the turtle shells? Do they eat the meat? Are the shells just for decoration?
Lovely photos all around.
July 27, 2009 at 9:50 am
centria
Hey is a handsome guy, isn’t he? And very nice to agree to get his pic taken. I gathered all available courage (as demonstrated by Denise) and asked him if it were possible. He so nicely agreed. The turtle shells are used…I believe…for many purposes. Don’t quote me with any knowledge but I think for regalia, for burning sweet grass or sage, maybe other things. I don’t know if the people who harvested these ate the meat or not. I want to say “yes” but there are many practices done in the tribes which are more “white-man oriented”. Or consumer oriented? Thanks re the photos. Can’t believe they turned out so well with a broken camera. Maybe it isn’t as broke as it could be.
July 27, 2009 at 7:22 am
Lulu
Kathy,
Thank you so much for posting these two beautiful blogs and pictures of the Pow Wow. I can so relate to you saying how it wakes up something from deep inside. Like I might have told you in Holland I have felt this connection since I was a child and it has come to me on many occasions. Right now it makes me happy sad. Happy because of the beauty and the drums and the colours and the fact that the Spirit still remains and will be carried on through so many generations to come in spite of history. Sad because it evokes such a deep longing inside me: I want to go home, I cant explain it, it stirs deep and its beyond a being happy in moments of grace.
July 27, 2009 at 9:55 am
centria
Lucienne, I know what you’re feeling, perhaps. For some of us, the Native way seems to awaken something deep inside. You did share that in Holland. That happy/sad feeling still comes and goes during times at the Pow Wow and in other contexts. After spending much time with the natives here over the years, it’s also true that everything in modern-day culture is not idealistic. It can be a strange mixture of deep deep spiritual connection, mixed in with people who are struggling, suffering, searching. There are fundamentalists here and those who are more open and inclusive. The years with them taught me so much. I wish you will have the opportunity some day perhaps to move deeper into the evocation of longing through the Native Way.
July 27, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Lulu
Kathy, thank you for your reply. I am well aware that everything is not idealistic. I am aware of the situations of much of the native people living on the lands oppointed to them. I am aware also of the schism that is happening for many. I have met with natives that were openly hostile and bitter towards non natives people. At the same time I also did sacred ceremonies with native americans that have had visions of the time being right to share some of the teachings of Native Spirit and initate people outside of the tribes, as well as to make medicine wheels all over the globe. I am also aware of the fundamentalistic movements that are strongly opposed to this.
And eventhough I tend to think along in terms of the shared vision because it seems in alligment with the Oneness of Spirit and because I know there are many souls who have strong spiritual connections that might even come from past lives, I also understand the concern and some of the arguments of the people with the more fundamentalistic views.
I have seen there has been a tendency among a lot of new agers to “play indian” because ít was seen as a cool thing to do as well as a commercialisation of the whole thing while the profits thereof totally passed by the needs of the native people themselves.
So there are a lot of sides to be considered.
Hugs.
July 27, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Paul
Kathy, this post pulls strongly on my heart strings. There is a similar gathering near Lapeer, MI that I have been on staff for many years. Though I live many miles away now, those drums echo resound for miles around and I hear them still in my memories.
Namaste, Kathy. Please continue to post here and everywhere you do. I celebrate your presence on the planet, kind sister.
July 27, 2009 at 7:04 pm
centria
Lucienne, you are fortunate to see things which such wise eyes. I was so idealistic for so many years…it took many many years to be able to see and feel and experience the culture in a way that felt very realistic, and yet loving and connected as well. I agree with so much of what you have said. Thank you dear friend!
Paul, so glad to hear that this post resonated so deeply with you. (Actually my hometown is in the Thumb, so am familiar with Lapeer.) Glad the drums echo in your heart and memories. How special! Thank you for sharing.
July 28, 2009 at 8:12 am
sahlah
Thank you for sharing that event. What a beautiful man in the first picture.
Did you catch the spot of irony in the last picture – a beautiful costumed traditional person with an umbrella labeled Cadillac. I love when things intersect in unexpected way. Nice shot.
July 28, 2009 at 2:25 pm
centria
Dawn, you are very welcome. It’s a special time each year. After getting over “camera fright”, it was fun. Had actually not spotted the irony of the Cadillac umbrella. That’s the mix of traditional and non-traditional which dance together all the time there. Hey, that might be the “real” dance! Hmm, what a thought…. 🙂 I love the unexpected too!
October 2, 2009 at 9:26 pm
marilyn
Really enjoyed your photos. I used to pretend I was native walking in the woods in my socks trying so hard not to make a sound and to get the animals and birds to come to me when I was a little girl.
October 3, 2009 at 7:32 am
centria
Dear Marilyn, thank you so much! Years ago I took a wilderness survival course and one of the things we practiced was walking oh-so-quietly in the woods. They say when our minds and thoughts get quiet, that’s when animals become more comfortable coming close to us.
December 19, 2009 at 7:39 pm
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