Ann Arbor 'Dance for Mother Earth' Powwow 2008

[dtown]

Unfortunately, it doesn’t come as no surprise that the Ann Arbor Powwow has a continuous diet of the same picked staff & dance winners. I have attended this powwow for the last 8/years, and each time some families like Schuyler or Cleland end up winning or being chosen as staff with their crony judges and tabulators. What goes around comes around?

In fact, there was talk in Toronto last December about how it was fixed, and long time supporters would boycott the event unless the Ann Arbor Powwow committee made some changes. All dancers, regardless of tribe, geographical location, and mixed-race should all be considered for powwow staff or potential winners.

Powwow committees should dig hard and deep for talent outside metro Detroit, rather than some inner city family click that makes this committee look like figure heads. If you noticed previously the same head dancers (Cleland) were chosen two years in row, what’s wrong with this picture? Prior to this, the same head male dancer was a dance judge three years in row.

The majority of us save up our hard earned money for gas, lodging, meals and dance registration. It could take as long as six months to save up money to go to Ann Arbor, but discover we do not have a chance of winning a fixed powwow. The powwows so-called promotion relates to watching fixed matches on WWE. Yes, I wasted my money on a competition filled with deception.

My impression of this powwow has gone from high to low because the committee overlooks the diversity from a larger much more talented pool of dancers & cultural staff. It comes as no mystery why the powwow has declined in popularity and attendance each year.

I live in Ontario and will be attending another powwow the same weekend because I have no confidence in the poor judging tactics used by the Cleland/Schuyler connection. Until changes are made, I have no immediate plans to continue supporting this powwow.

Oh yeah! I predict who will win this year… sound familiar? Just you wait and see!

[Kiwehnzii]

You sound very bitter.

Anyways, I too attend every year, if possible. I have fun there. I really don't care who the head staff is. I go for a good time and if I spend all weekend worrying about placing or not, I won't have a good time. Did you happen to think, maybe, stress might affect your dancing?

Just enjoy yourself.

Oh ..... BTW, this is a student-run event and students change from year-to-year. Maybe.... just maybe.... the organizors, with limited resources available, just go by previously known head staff from years past and go with it? Just a thought.

[Mr Oakley]

Is this the weekend after Denver March Powwow? I haven't been here in like 12 years!

[cetanwinyan]

Stop your whining. If you looked at the website you would see that Wayne Cleland is not a headstaff this year, the mens dance judge is Wayne Silas Jr. Heather and Nigel Schuyler are head dancers but as you should know the head dancers have no control or say over the competition judging. And I am a committee member who has no relatives dancing here (we're from N & S Dakota) and I have been co-tabulator for the past 2 years and there is no cheating going on, we just add up the ponts and do not even know the dancers names till the end. And the Schulyers have helped in the planning and publicizing the PowWow - what have you done?
THE POWWOW IS APRIL 5 & 6 THIS YEAR (It is a week later so as to avoid conflict with the Anishnabe Language conference the last weekend of March)

[timmy tiger]

Well, I have heard of this pow wow, but I have never gone to it. It's usually during the time of another event that I attend.

I dance, but I don't compete, although I have many times been asked to be a judge. And I have heard the same things about some of the pow wow's that I've attended as well. But I know for a fact that when I've been asked to judge--I vote for the one who is truely the best one out there at THAT time. I don't think about how they looked a few hours ago or the day before--but during the actual contest that I am being asked to judge at that moment.

If you feel that it is unjust--and that is your right to your feelings--then you have the choice to go or not to go. But to make claims against people without anything to back it up---does sound like sour grapes. Just my opinion here.

If you are just going to a pow wow for the money, maybe a thought would be--that you might be going for the wrong reason and that may affect your dancing as it had been stated above. You might have stressed yourself out too much and it showed in your dancing. Just some thoughts on this.

[Schuyler, H.]

Ooh My !

Such words from a person whom I believe does not know me or my family ! I was not going to reply to this thread, but with you spreading my families name on here and another close pw family name on here it seemed impossible not too. Everyone is entitled to there opinions on how a PW is ran, but I see you fail to realise or EVEN mention the real "meaning" of a PW. Most of us that do go and attend a PW understand you win some and you lose some. Whats most important is seeing old friends and saying hello and meeting new ones. There will always be (unfortunately) a political view on PWs, no matter where you go. Just at my experience not only as a Dancer , but as a Head Judge / Judge that Ann-Arbor has always been fair to who was to win. We go by a computer generated tabulation system and each person has a number ( which we don't know who it belongs too). We don't even view or know whose #'s are whose. AND if you really knew the size of our families you would know its simply impossible to keep track of those numbers and who belongs to them in order for them to place. I wish that in the future you do plan on attending Ann-Arbor and view this PW as an experience to dance and DANCE for those who no longer can !!! And not worry about whether or not your wasting your $$ on attending. As mentioned in a previous response the students here have open committee meetings all open to public and volunteers alike. If you want more imput and action, you are more than welcome to attend.

[Wesley Cleland]

what up doe?

What up doe? well im the head man judge at msu this weekend and if your last name doesnt end in schuyler or cleland you might as well not show up this weekend!!! Lamo, i try to run a fair contest, i try my best to pick judges from all over, old and young, dancers and non dancers. thats pretty much all you can do and hope for the best. And i do agree you need to just dance for the fun of it and if you wanna compete you gotta realize you aint always going to win. Even ali got knocked out and hes the greatest of all time! lol ah ho

[Kiwehnzii]

Hey kids, don't worry about what anybody says. Just do your jobs. Whoever the person is worried about is probably working at the powwow. He/she can come and not worry about competing against them. Ayyee.

[Schuyler, H.]

Too FUnny !

You can't help but laugh and keep up the Good OLE Native Humor, huh Wes.... Its sad that after all the crap thats going on in the world that people invite those nasty attitudes to a PW. A place where most of us view as a "get-a-way" from this crazy economy and society. Opinions are always welcome, but slaming a family / families name is simply something learned from NON-NATIVE people. Live life one day at a time, and don't take life for granted and the fact you have LEGS to even dance or walk. AND your right Kiwehnzii..... we'll do our jobs, with Pride. Can't please everyone.... main thing is that you can leave any pow-wow happy that you came, danced, and smoked a hole in your mocs !! lol

[moonhawk4]

I am a native from Montreal, QC and attend the Ann Arbor pow wow every year. I feel the pow wow committee is racist against other natvies. For example, there is a Seminole woman that dances every year. She is a very good traditional dancer, but she never wins. I found out that the reason she never wins is because she is part Black. Some of you claim to be so native, but you have the mentality of the white race.

[cetanwinyan]

Since the PowWow committee is primarily students from many different tribes from all over the country including some African Americans, I do not know how they could be accused of discriminating against other tribes. There are 5 different judges for each contest round so what you are saying is that 10 separate judges, who are well known elders and dancers, are prejudiced. Maybe this woman didnt win because while she is very good she isnt better than some of the other traditional dancers, or perhaps she lost points for not being in all the Grand Entries or Exhibits. The tabulation results are open for anyone who asks to see.

[Schuyler, H.]

Please stop the accusations !!

AGAIN ..... missing the point of a PW!! Moonhawk we know that you and your significant other Dtown are upset and have had some issues here (obviously). Your making this out to be something it is'nt. Ann-Arbor is an open book tabulation if you seen something wrong you were always welcome to view your points. To say that this WIDE range of people that make up the committee are RACIST is terrible. Be more open minded and not use the race card. That is too sad that you think that, maybe your mind has not been in the right place when it comes to PWs. If thats what you think this is about. Too sad !!

[~*~ShanLyn~*~]

WOW
Im sorry Heather but if you're going to be there i am so not going LMAO
anyways, this Dtown obviously doesnt know how large the schuyler clan is lol

Why does it always have to be about winning?

[rezgranny]

Ann Arbour PW

I don't care what anyone says, I've been to Ann Arbour PW a couple of times and I enjoyed it and would if I could go again this year if my $$flow would allow it.

[moonhawk4]

AGAIN ..... missing the point of a PW!! Moonhawk we know that you and your significant other Dtown are upset and have had some issues here (obviously). Your making this out to be something it is'nt. Ann-Arbor is an open book tabulation if you seen something wrong you were always welcome to view your points. To say that this WIDE range of people that make up the committee are RACIST is terrible. Be more open minded and not use the race card. That is too sad that you think that, maybe your mind has not been in the right place when it comes to PWs. If thats what you think this is about. Too sad !!

heather

dtown is not my sig other. i ahve been a dancer for many moons. trad and comp. i know the pw is not all about $, do you?