Exploring the beautiful world of Native American dance culture and tradition.
I have to admit my very first introduction to Native American culture came in the form of a movie. I distinctly remember watching the ‘Dances With The Wolves’ in a theater in India in the early 90’s and I was in awe. Not just with the plot and the story but also the characters. Come on, who doesn’t love Kevin Costner of the 90’s, am I right? The story of the central character played by Kevin Costner and his interactions and associations with the Sioux Native American tribes was so beautifully portrayed. Striped of all biases and prejudice, here were two groups of people who did not speak the same language, shared nothing in common – yet came to respect each other and rely on each other. I know this is just a movie – a element of fiction – but in that moment, I learnt just how beautiful humanity can be. I was so fascinated by the Native American culture – their traditions, the way they connection with all of nature – the birds, the animals and the elements.
Fast forward many years and I had the opportunity to visit a Native American Pow Wow. Now a pow wow is a social gathering that is typically held by many different Native American communities. Pow Wows have been around for many years but these days a modern pow wow where many different tribes get together to meet and dance, sing, socialize, and honor their cultures. Pow wows can be both private or open to the public. Those that are open to the public provide such an incredible opportunity to get first-hand knowledge of the importance of dance in the Native American culture.
Last year on a visit to the state of Montana for a conference, I had a chance to engage with a lot of the Native American tribes and was even privy to some amazing dance performances. I was just as enthralled and fascinated with the dancers as I was watching the dance scenes in the movie so many years ago.
So today on this episode of the CulturallyOurs podcast we explore different kinds of dance among Native Americans and what they mean from a cultural standpoint. I would be remiss if I don’t share some tips on how you can engage and watch a Native American dance Pow Wow respectfully.
Here is a video of some of the types of Native American dance,
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