Powwow Hip-Hop?!

[Ahinawake]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzPOEgDe2d8
Watch the video link above before you reply.

What do you think? I think it's rather disrespectful, honestly, but I'm not sure where I stand. Is it acceptable to merge modern music with powwows? Even in powwow clothing, like the jingle dress? I mean, it would be one thing if they were in jeans and t-shirts...but this is a little much is you ask me.

[Lakota Wiyan]

That video looked to me more like one of the silly contests that sometimes crop up at powwows, like a switch dance. There are a couple of dancers dancing a little to suggestively, which in the presence of elders, is inapporpriate, but thats how silliness gets out of hand sometimes!

I'm more surprised that you didn't comment on the "Pocahontas dress" clad white lady out there dancing the way she was. Thats more cause for comment than anything else!!

I think this was just silliness and goofiness....not a huge matter for concern, or an "issue" that needs to be taken up. You'd be amazed at how often this kind of stuff happens at, usually, the smaller powwows. If you take it in the spirit it is meant, there is no harm. I'm sure those overtly suggestive dancers, especially the one hiking up her dress, were talked to by someone in their families. That is the appropriate place to "correct" someone, not on the internet!

[Wojapi4Me]

I was one of the people who denounced this when it first hit the internet last year sometime, but now I wish I hadn't. I still think it was in bad taste, but I feel sorry for the young ladies involved. I really wish the videos would be removed from the internet. As was reported on this website, the families of the young ladies have dealt with it and they learned a valuable lesson so it should be over...

but in this day and age of internet...nothing is ever over.

Is there anyway powwows.com (on behalf of the young ladies and families affected) can petition youtube.com or the person who posted the videos to remove them permanently?

[Wakalapi]

That video looked to me more like one of the silly contests that sometimes crop up at powwows, like a switch dance.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Is there anyway powwows.com (on behalf of the young ladies and families affected) can petition youtube.com or the person who posted the videos to remove them permanently?

Anyone can ask that the video's be removed, but whether they actually will would depend on:

1. Can their poster be persuaded to agree that such a contemporary mixture is indeed offensive to the vast majority of Native American people who go to powwows and is (s)he sensitive to such offenses, or
2. Does the video violate a written policy of YouTube.

I have strong opinions about what is right and wrong, like anybody else has; but when my opinions contradict someone else, who should a neutral third party judge as being "right" and then what should they do when they are being asked to stop displaying or expressing something.


PERSONALLY, I think what they were doing does look silly and I would be embarrassed to be associated with it. But can I tell them they're wrong? Of course, I can express my own opinion till I'm blue in the face. But I wasn't hired to be their Arena Director that day, so technically, no I really cannot tell them they must not do that.

[Lakota Wiyan]

I think you make a good point! We can have our opinion, and even voice our opinion, but we aren't allowed the natural priviledge of "censuring" people for what choices they make. Its a natural by-product of respect. We have to able to allow people to make mistakes and live with those mistakes, without making them feel that their entire existance is wrong, or that they are bad people.



Wow...what kinda tea have I been drinking?