I spent this past Saturday at the Cowboy Festival and Symposium at the Booth Western Art Museum (could the name be any longer?). This was my fourth year going, so it's starting to feel like a second home. It's always really fun--and it gives you a chance to wear those ridiculous boots and other western wear that's been in your closet forever (just admit it, we all know it's there).
What does one do
at a cowboy festival and symposium, you may ask? You can
watch the many demonstrations and reenactments (from roping to quick-draw to
the O.K Corral gun fight), shop amongst the various venders (hand
made jewelry, paintings, scarves, etc.), eat some delicious food (can
you say, funnel cake?), and eventually browse around the museum.
But you may be
wondering what all of this has to do with my title, "Go
Native!". Well, my favorite part of
the festival isn't even mentioned in the name. The Native American show and
dancing. Creek and Comanche Native Americans, to be exact. Little Big
Mountain (Comanche) and Jim Sawgrass (Creek) and their friends and families come to
the festival every year to explain some common misconceptions about Native Americans
and also showcase some amazing talent, dancing being the main attraction.
There are many
different styles of dance, such as the fancy shawl dance, the fancy
feathers dance, hoop dance, etc. The hoop dance (this)
is my favorite. They can make it look so easy, but most of the guys that do it
have been doing it since they were little kids (think, 5 years old). Nowadays,
many styles of dancing are done competitively at Pow Wows (Native American "get togethers" with food, singing, and dancing).
One new dance
(well, new to us) this year was preformed by Jim Sawgrass' son (who is also an
amazing hoop dancer). This dance was "given" to Little Big Mountain's
family. By "given" I mean they were given the right to preform this
dance. In their culture, you're not allowed to just take other people's/tribe's
dances, you have to be given permission to learn them. I actually forgot what
it's called...but it's based on a legend, and that, I remember.
This dance is
about the great eagle, a creature that can soar higher and longer than any
other animal. It is believed that the eagle was once completely snow white. One
day, the eagle decides to fly to the sun, to prove himself mightier than
any other creature. Before embarking on his journey, he bows and prays in all
directions, north, south, east, and west. Then he takes off, soaring higher and
higher into the sky. As he begins to get closer to the sun, his feathers start
to burn and turn brown. His eyes turn golden from looking at the sun. He
eventually gives up, knowing he can never reach the sun. He flies back down to
earth, and rests.
The dance is
really amazing to watch, with the music and knowing the legend.
I've always felt
some connection to Native American culture, even though I'm only small fraction
of Crow (Apsáalooke) indian. I'm honored to have even just a fraction of native
blood in me. But I believe there is more in me somewhere along my family
tree.
So that's
what I did this past Saturday. It was a blast. (:
Click here to
visit the Booth Western Art Museum website
And here to
visit Little Big Mountain and Jim Sawgrass' website.
Here are just a fraction of the many pictures I took.
This was the best picture I could get at the time. (Jim Sawgrass' son hoop dancing)
You can't tell in this picture, but the beading on his clothing has texture to it
This is completely made out of paper
Love this one (:
Little Big Mountain, Jim Sawgrass' son, and Jim Sawgrass
I couldn't get good pictures of the hoop dancing because he moves so fast!