Pow Wow
 

You still have two days to get to Ambler to enjoy some of the best Native American Dancing in the area ...

Chief Buffy Redfeather leads the grand entry
http://scribe.fork.org/cellar/powwow/powwow006.jpg

Beautiful Woman is one of the honored elders and is the first dancer who enters following the chief
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The bustle of a Men's Traditional dancer
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A men's traditional and women's traditional dancer enter the circle together.
http://scribe.fork.org/cellar/powwow/powwow016.jpg

Seeing a hoop dancer is a rare treat. It is very unusual for their to be two of them in the circle at the same time.
http://scribe.fork.org/cellar/powwow/powwow019.jpg

I am hoping to return on Monday to get some more pictures. I was a little disappointed because there were no jingle dress dancers this year, nor any grass dancers.

Fascinating. Are you of Native American origin then?

I was born here, yes. ;)

All right, all right ...

The real answer is "Not that I can document", although when I go to events up at the Lenape musuem I get asked "are you registered with the tribe?" a lot.

I dunno.

Maybe it's that white man with the gun, chasing you, that makes them think that.:haha:

After I explain that that's just slang, they settle down.

The weather has disrupted my plans to take more pictures. :(

Often some of the hardier vendors open up on rainy days, but since it's the last day I suspect that many of them will just pack up their trailers and get an early start home. I've done some great bargaining on days like this, but I bought everything I wanted on Saturday. Today was to be my "focus on the dancers" day. Ah well. There's always next year.

And I might be able to get to one of the other upcoming pow wows, even if I have to drive farther to get there.

2005
 

Every Memorial Day Weekend, the Southeastern Cherokee Confederacy Earth Band hosts a Pow Wow at Temple University’s Ambler Campus.

The Grand Entry involves all the dancers and also includes the formal posting of the Colors by the Color Guard. You can photograph the Grand Entry and the competition and exhibition dancing, but not the prayers.

This is the Color Guard. In addition to the US Native Flag they carry the POW/MIA Flag and two Tribal Flags.
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The Chief, Buffy Redfeather Brown enters the circle after the color guard. Behind her are the principal dancers.
http://scribe.fork.org/cellar/2005/2...0_113802AA.JPG

You will see many different styles of dancing, from the stately steps of the Elder Women, to the extremely high energy of the Fancy Dancers
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The Women’s Traditional Dancers can wear a variety of styles of clothing.
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Here is some more whirling by the Fancy Dancers. I think the youngest was about 8.
http://scribe.fork.org/cellar/2005/2...0_154759AA.JPG

The Pow Wow is a big social event in the tribe. Folks that see each other once a year do so at Pow Wow. I’ve been going for most of the 12 years it’s been run, and have a good time every time. It’s also an opportunity for the tribe to teach others about their culture, and to raise money for their Scholarship fund.

I missed out on buffalo burgers this year (they must have sold out over the weekend), but did get my fry bread! There used to be a couple more pow wows in the Philadelphia area, but this is the only one left … Willow Grove Naval Air Station and Fairmount Park have both disappeared.

I tried to go on Saturday, but arrived just in time for a massive rainstorm to break out. Tents and stuff when flying across the field and I ended up getting soaked while helping a vendor whose tent had overturned rescue his wares.

Cool pictures wolf.
The dancer in black is one of my kid's school mates.

Very cool! She was great!

Mmm... fry bread. Every Sept. we drive up to Colorado and on the way we go through southern Utah (Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, thru Mexican Hat, etc.) and camp at the top of Muley Point (these pics don't do it justice). There is an amazing restaurant at the base where we get fry bread. Yum, with lots of honey and a cup of hot tea. :coffee: :yum:

Awesome pics, wolf. Thanks for sharing.

Ahahaah, now that's a mullet!

...

I haven't been to a Pow Wow since I was about 5 or 6. It's still one of my most vivid memories. I'd love to go to another one but I haven't seen mention of any in my area.

Fry Bread
 

Mmmmm....fry bread!!! When they bring out the lard, you know there's good eatin' ahead!