Full Description
This anthology examines the origins, meanings, and enduring power of the powwow. Held on and off reservations, in rural and urban settings, powwows are an important vehicle for Native peoples to gather regularly. Although sometimes a paradoxical combination of both tribal and intertribal identities, they are a medium by which many groups maintain important practices. Powwow begins with an exploration of the history and significance of powwows, ranging from the Hochunk dances of the early twentieth century to present-day Southern Cheyenne gatherings to the contemporary powwow circuit of the northern plains. Contributors discuss the powwow's performative and cultural dimensions, including emcees, song and dance, the expression of traditional values, and the Powwow Princess. The final section examines how powwow practices have been appropriated and transformed by Natives and non-Natives during the past few decades. Of special note is the use of powwows by Native communities in the eastern United States, by Germans, by gay and lesbian Natives, and by New Agers.
Contents
Introduction (Clyde Ellis & Luke Eric Lassiter) I. History and Significance 1. "The Sound of the Drum Will Revive Them and Make Them Happy" (Clyde Ellis); 2.Some Reflections on Nearly Forty Years on the Northern Plains Powwow Circuit (Patricia Albers and Bea Medicine); 3. Ho-Chunk "Indian Powwows" of the Early Twentieth Century (Grant Arndt); 4. Local Contexts of Powwow Ritual (Loretta Fowler) II. Performance and Expression 5. Putting Things in Order: The Discourse of Tradition (R.D. Theisz); 6. The Songs of our Elders: Performance and Cultural Survival in Omaha and Dane-zaa Traditions (Robin Ridington, Dennis Hastings, and Tommy Attachie); 7. Powwow Patter: Indian Emcee Discourse on Power and Identity (Daniel Gelo); 8. Beauty is Youth: The Powwow Princess (Kathleen Glenister Roberts); 9. East Meets West: On Stomp Dance and Powwow Worlds in Oklahoma (Jason Jackson) III. Appropriations, Negotiations, and Contestations 10. The Monacan Nation Powwow: Symbol of Indigenous Survival and Resistance in the Tobacco Row Mountains (Samuel Cook, John L. Johns, and Karenne Wood); 11. Two-Spirit Powwows and the Search for Acceptance in Indian Country (Brian J. Gilley); 12. Powwow Overseas: The German Experience (A. Renae Watchman); 13. Dancing With Indians and Wolves: New Agers Tripping Through Powwows (Lisa Aldred); 14. Purposes of North Carolina Powwows (Chris Goertzen)
