Hip Hop & Pow Wows Collide?

[IlnuSoldier]

Native Culture not "interesting enough" for young people

The real issue here is that so many older folks are rigid and close-minded...

and the young people react to this.

Native culture is not interesting enough for many young people anymore--- in competition with all the things that western culture offers--- the young people WANT to be vital and vivid, yet so much native culture seems like it is fragile and handled with kit gloves.

This is a sign that if native culture does not loosen up and have some serious LIFE injected back into it, the young ones will walk away from it.

They WILL walk away from it.

It is not their job to learn the culture, it is OUR job to teach it to them.

It is not their job to fall in love with it, it is OUR job to show them the value.

It is very simple : Either we offer them something that can compete with the western seduction... or we loose.

We have to be willing to allow the young people to engage in new things and bring their own two cents worth to the table...

If we give a little, then they will be more willing to listen to what we have to offer...

However, what we have to offer better be something REALLY AMAZING...

This is what I was saying in another thread... Native youth are tired and scared that they will end up like the sad and lethargic adults they see... just sitting around the rez with nothing going on and nothing happening... praying to some spook in the sky with an eagle feather...AND NOTHING happens..

How can you expect the youths to respect the ceremonies when they don't appear to work anymore ---- native religion is SO SCARED to take another hit, it is sooo closed up and, again, treated with kit gloves...

that is appears DEAD and USELESS to most of the youth.

We all have to re-figure this out or we will loose our youth to the western religion, culture, and ways.

These things are just the tip....

[*~Sparkylou~*]

I like the things that u have to say anishtradish :) Alot of people try too hard to be "superndn" or something lol..we just have to be who we are in this day and age while respecting and honoring our traditions at the same time~I think that both can be done....that being said, I would NEVER be caught dead dancing like those girls did in their outfit, sacred or not!!! Thats just me & their is a time and a place for a lady to act like that. BUT, in my opinion, the true burden lied on the AD and other adults around to guide the younger people and they obviously just let it happen so that's a shame...

[ugidali]

Stop "BUCK DANCING"

my two sense worth.... I was taught that you carry yourself PROPERLY when you are in your respected dance regalia and at a powwow.
NO MATTER WHAT STYLE OF DANCER YOU WERE!!!
there was a certain way you acted and don't act.... i saw this video and couldn't believe it.!!! it was tasteless and i was embarrassed for those 2 girls.. especially for it 2 be spread around on the internet like that!! how embarrassing for us as native people!

ok... now i hear people saying that switch dancers do worse... which is probably true! but thats' the point of switch dancing! (contrary/clown/heyoka) you switch outfits.. and make fun and take it to the extremes... some even consider the contrary/heyoka dances a type of "ceremony" for healing. And when things do get out of hand (which they have) the elders speak up and let the AD know... and he lets the dancers know to tame it down a bit!!

~n just side not... my great grandma said they should have had a walmart when she was little... it doesn't mean its less traditional...or modernized.... just easier access to more choices

LOL. Exactly. We're on the same page here girlie.
As my great granny said, No, "Buck dancing."
She was trying to say "Break Dancing." (That's old too, from like what, the 70's!)

[Zeke]

This Parent of the girl felt that she should not be dancing in that way in them clothes that they should be shown respect

For clothes? Really, you want me to objectify clothes?

This (and the video) was a young girl? Fine. Her/their parents can determine what they do and what they're wearing while doing it. But, as an adult, given the right to wear something, how you wear it is YOURS. (That's the whole point of the concept of Rights.)

Oh, sure, someone might want to throw out the "origin" argument, or the "respect" argument, but the reality is this: people can/will dance how the Hell they want. They can, also, WEAR anything that they want. Why? Because it is either their Right to or they shouldn't even be out there. (If they shouldn't be out there, why do we care?)

I am getting older. I am out of shape. I do not dance often, anymore. But, while wearing big eagle bustles, angoras, a roach and top feathers, if someone comes up to me and says I am disrespecting my clothes because I am smoking a Cohiba or they don't like the way I dance, I'm going to laugh at them.

And that doesn't harm our culture one bit.

Besides, in context, this whole video/issue is a NOTHING.

[IlnuSoldier]

Zeke - Hahaha... I have to agree again and your post reminds me of so many memories of my own....

ahh... ...good times.