Jingle Dress Dancers Appear at Pow Wows Throughout Virginia

These Pow Wows in Virginia are held in different cities throughout the state. Information about these can be easily gotten on some of these websites such as www.powwow-power.com This website has Pow Wow info on the United States and Canada too.. An upcoming Pow Wow is the Occoneechi State Park Native Heritage Festival held in Clarksville, VA. The MC is Marvin Burnette, Host Drum is Stoney Creek, and Co-Host are Foxtail Singers. Admission is $5.00 for adult. The date is May12, 2007. The other Virginia Pow Wow is on June 23 - 24, 2007 at the Nottoway Indian in Surry, VA. If you looking for great entertainment this is worth a try. Please remember to contact the person listed and their phone number for any questions you have.

WHAT IS A POW WOW?

This is time for dancing and singing and holding up a rich heritage It has time for communication through talking, visiting, and friendships with one another. It is a time for prayer, ceremony, and the Grand Entry . It's origins are from the war dance society of the Ponca and other plain tribes. They are first organized by a committee for several weeks to plan the event. The start of the Pow Wow is the Grand Entry parade through the town. The MC runs the Pow Wow and work with the arena director.

During the Grand Entry, everyone stands as the flags enter the building. The flags are the U.S. flag, tribal flag, and POW flag. These are carried by the honored veterans who have serving in the military so very proudly. After the veterans are important guests such as a tribal chiefs, princesses, elders, and Pow Wow organizers.

Next, are the men dancers followed by the woman dancers in their ornate dresses sewn to perfection. The colors for both men and women are striking and beautiful. The next thing you hear are the songs sung to honor the flag and the veterans. Then they have a prayer and dancing. The round dances and inter tribal dances to the drum.

THE JINGLE DRESS

The Jingle dress is called a prayer dress .It comes from the Northern Ojibewa or Chippewa Indian tribes along Canada. The dress is made very carefully to get the right look and sound of a Jingle dress. It is rolled with snuff can lids and then hung with ribbon. Then it is sewn together so that they hit together making the sound. It was the sound of rain on a tin roof. These dresses can be seen on the dancers at the Pow Wows in Virginia and across the United States. These Pow Wows are full of Indian dancing, singing, educational displays, and authentic food.

DANCE STYLES - FANCY FEATHER DANCER

This is called a Oklahoma feather dancer or "fancy dancer". It is by far the most popular dance style at the Pow Wows. It originated by the Hethuska society in Oklahoma by Gus McDonald. His family, the Ponca matriarchs, presents the trophy for the fancy war dance champion each year. It is a great honor given as a result of what his family has contributed to the Pow Wow dances. The fancy dance outfit has huge amounts of loom, headbands, armbands,, and beaded sets of suspenders. It has a beaded medallion on the forehead, bustles, and a breastplate in rainbow feathers or geometric designs. It contains large feather bustles, angora anklets and bells about one or two inches below the knee. They carry a flat fan with beads and feathers or a whistle.

TWO TYPES OF DANCE STYLES

First, is simple step dancing around the drum. The second, is a "contest step" with fast and intricate movement of the feet by the dancers. They are judged for these costumes and dancing abilities. The best demonstrated outfit and footwork will win. It takes much practice and hard work to get accomplished at it. Gus McDonald was the first World Champion War Dancer. His family legacy lives on through this dance.

GATHERING OF NATIONS

The Gathering of Nations is a Pow Wow that was held in Albuquerque, NM on April 26 - 28, 2007. For more information call (505)836-2810.

ANOTHER GREAT WEBSITE FOR POWWOWS

This website is full of all kinds of Pow Wow information. Everything I have mentioned and more. This is (www.powwows.com) is where you can a great multimedia, calendar, photos, and dances. It has educational help, forums, and ways of keeping in touch. If you need to get some great talent or just experience exciting pictures and videos. You get a feel of the true Indian community and proud heritage we have come to expect of them. It is upgraded with perfect digital color and well organized. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Now it's your turn to get involved and come out to see these dancers with the Jingles Dresses.