(THE PICKET) – Indians from tribes across the U.S. shared their cultures Saturday with Shepherd University.
The Red Hoop Pow Wow in the Storer Ballroom featured singing and dancing from members of the Lakota, Cherokee, Black Feet, Seneca, Tuscarora, and Munsee-Delaware tribes.
“It’s not the color of our skin, or how we cut our hair, or how we dress. All humans are unified in the red blood that flows through our veins,” said Arena Director Reed Brown.
The event was put together by Brown, a member of the Lakota tribe from South Dakota. He said he was following in the footsteps of his father and trying to keep the traditions of his people alive. Barry Lee, a member of the Munsee-Delaware tribe, in Ontario, Canada, acted as master of ceremonies and guided the performers through the dances and traditions and what they meant to his people.
“It’s a very informative and unique experience being exposed to these cultures on campus,” said Ferris Sinnas, a senior environmental studies major at Shepherd.
The Pow Wow began with the grand entry. A staff adorned with eagle feathers was carried to the front of the room followed by the flags of the United States and West Virginia, followed by the dancers. The event lasted six hours and featured dances descended from a wide variety of traditions, from Eastern forests to the Great Plains. Dances included inter-tribal dances, jingle dances, long house social dances, grass dances, and even an alligator and an apple dance specifically for couples.
The male and female lead dancers, adorned in full traditional regalia. It is considered disrespectful to refer to such clothes as costumes.
Each dancer performed in the customs of their tribes, and was adorned in elaborate regalia made of colorful fabric, metal bells, turtle shells, and eagle feathers. Many dances were even given a backstory on their cultural significance and history, such as the grass dance, which is used in the plains cultures to flatten grass before the Sun Dance festival.
Taken all together, the theme of the day was one of inclusiveness and respect. For most of the dances, the master of ceremonies and performers encouraged the audience to join them on the dance floor and in prayer. As the day progressed more people became comfortable joining in the dances with dozens in attendance. Reed Brown has said it is his plan to return to Shepherd next November to hold another Pow Wow.
DEMIAN NUNEZ/ The Picket
Arena Director Reed Brown, in full Lakota regalia, thanks the audience for their respect and participation during the event.