i don't dance @ powwows---am i indian????

[geronimo]

nah, bettles..........it's good to keep a sense of humor about it too, not take it so seriously ALL the time

good points ya'll..........

i'm secure with who i am, but i still get frustrated with the way some of our indian people are---an older lumbee lady and i were talking about it the other day--it especially hurts them when they look @ these next generations---who will be the leaders??? don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good apples out there, sometimes the bad ruin it for the whole bunch though

tradish_wiyan,
i feel ya---over here in north cackalackie we like to call 'em crickets---

about this dancing everyone's been posting about!!!!:);) i used to dance (not compete) some, but with all the back-biting, snide comments, jealousy, and powwow politics...i decided i'd just rather watch from the sidelines........now that's the sad part!!! but, i guess that's the scaredy cat in me!!! maybe 1 day i'll bust out there again & not give a sh*t!!!

[KoolNDN]

*

[Migiziwomen]

Hey, everyone orders from Crazy Crow! Don't they?
I won't be dancing at pow-wows till next spring since I just found out I am going to have a baby. So I'll just wiat to be indian till next year when I start pow-wowing again! LMAO :)

congrats on your bundle, I just had a son in Jan, a little preemmie, four months later and I call him fatboy,lol.
It is to bad that you have to give up being Indian until after the baby is born, lol. People that tell you that you are not Indian enough, should probably get off their soap box :36: , and question their own Indian meter, because that is not the Indian way. :indian1:

[WhoMe]

ya'll , this is funny and everything , but does anyone want to reply @ what i was really getting at?

__

Gmo:

"Dancing at powwows DOES NOT make you Indian.

Dancing at powwows DOES NOT make you more Indian than another Indian.

Dancing at powwows DOES NOT make you more traditional either.


For many tribes who have lost most of their culture, powwow IS their most traditional form of expession - of being Indian. . .



. . . and that is sad."

[FancyStar]

OK, first of all Journey, there are things you discuss in the open and other things you don't.
Second, NO you are not Indian if you don't carry around a "Peace Pipe" and raise your hand adn say " How". If you don't do these thinsg them you probably aren't indian, what you really are is a member of an Indegnous Native Nation of North American.

Pow-wowing doens't make you Indian. It can make you feel good about being Indian, but for a majority of tribes who didn't have these type of particular dances, " Being Indian" has become a term put on Native Peoples by the white man looking for hiw Hollywood Injun!

But then again, I'm just going to be white till I pow-wow again so what do I knOW!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[KeetersCAT]

Yes you are still Indian. But a ROTTEN one. Lazy thing you. JUST KIDDING. I don't dance either. I work for my tribe and get enough politics thank you very much. :rtf:

[tradish_wiyan]

__

Gmo:

"Dancing at powwows DOES NOT make you Indian.

Dancing at powwows DOES NOT make you more Indian than another Indian.

Dancing at powwows DOES NOT make you more traditional either.


For many tribes who have lost most of their culture, powwow IS their most traditional form of expession - of being Indian. . .



. . . and that is sad."

Well said "who me" :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[DANCINGEAGLE]

Whether you dance or not does not make you indian. Although, some people may make you feel that way. I dance and I sing with a drum group but i dance when i feel like it. Some of the spectators at p/w's must think that all ndns are supposed to be dancing but look so heartbroken when they find out otherwise :( :( .

The way I feel about it is this, if a person wants to dance then dance. If not, then don't. You don't have to prove anything to anybody but yourself.

[geronimo]

whoa..........i should have never titled this thread the way i did..............:)

i'm feelin' what everyone has to say--it sucks, but i guess education is the key

keeters cat...i work for mine too!!!! no wonder i can't take dancing @ powwows on top of all the other stuff!!:);)

[hidatsawmn26]

I'll probably be labeled a wanna bee after this post, but I just dont care..

I care about my ancestors and all that the Great Creator gives us!

My great grandmother was Cherokee and my grandmother was also and married a white man with german ancestors.

I am the only one in the family line to end up with hazel eyes and dark blonde hair.

I want to dance, I dance at home some!
But if I danced a pow wow and I have been invited to dance at intertribals, but I dont, because I look white.

After reading here on the boards for some time, it seems I would be opening myself up to ridicule for looking white and dancing.

I am still considering dancing at local powwows , because I want to honor my ancestors spirits.
Thats all I have to say about that... Let the judgement begin!

wel look around theres tons of light skinned natives that dance so dont let ppl go out there and judge ya based on that....if ya been invited then ya should go and have fun and learn...

[hidatsawmn26]

*lmao* yay to native ya gotta dance....oh i guess that would rule out alotta my family...i got tons of family member that dont dance and i got alot that do...well lemme totally wipe out that arguement and give straight facts...there are tons of natives that dont dance maybe because of arthritis or any medical reasons, or its just because its not in their tribes culture to dance at powwows...so does that make the m not native just because they dont or cant dance?its a ridiculus arguement and whoever believes in order to be native ya gotta dance really isnt native themselves or their full of it..

[hidatsawmn26]

We were kidding :) Geez

Can we say, "Issues."

huh? ya know bad thang with the internet ya cant tell whos being serious and who aint ya know? but in my previous post i was just answering his question thats all... it has nothing to do with what anyone sayd in this thread..im not harping down yar throat or anythign so dont take this the wrong way,okay?

[WocusWoman]

Geronimo, you know what's worse than this; and yes there are things worse that not dancing. I grew up in an area; where some people would actually believe your not a real "indian" if you didn't drink, I occasionally hear that screwed up mentality here too...

[Mato Winyan]

You're gonna find that in any indian community... and no you don't have to dance at powwows to be an indian.. it's not in the "how to be a real indian", handbook. :)

Sure it is.. you just got the pages suck together with the honey from your frybread!! :rofl2:

[Mato Winyan]

For a lot of natives the powwow is the only time they either are allowed or allow themselves to be native. Meaning that if they work in a society that demands they act and work accordingly to their standards they lose that in their day to day living for the most part. They may do certain things at home to help keep in touch, like burb mentioned about teaching their children their language and things, but that is not like being out in the open and free to do and go where they want. Like "closet indins" I guess. And as we know .. society is all too comfortable with natives being behind the scenes.... causes too much trouble to have them "outted" .. .hell they might have to have a working conscience then. ;)