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White Mom Lost
Hello,
I am a white mom to a partially Native little girl. Her dad is not in the picture and never gave information about his/her heritage when asked, other than "my dad was Mexican and Indian", so I really have no leg to stand on as far as her education and which tribe she might be a descendant from.
We've been attending Pow Wows since she was about 9 months old as spectators, but as she is getting older (3 1/2), she is wanting to get involved.
Last Pow Wow we went to we met an elder dancer who encouraged me to allow her to dance in future Pow Wow and who started talking regalia, and gifted her/us an abundance of feathers, beadwork, and ideas for her regalia.
I have the skills needed to create her regalia, but I have no idea if I can truly "toss" her in the arena so to speak since I do not feel I know enough of the culture/teachings to really help her comprehend how important what she would be doing is. Sadly that Pow Wow was really far from where we live (I was visiting a friend)so I cannot use "grandpa" as a help to teach her.
What are the rules of the Pow Wows in general when it comes to something like this? As I said I've only ever been a spectator before and it had not crossed my mind to involve my daughter other than in watching until this last Pow Wow.
I am a white mom to a partially Native little girl. Her dad is not in the picture and never gave information about his/her heritage when asked, other than "my dad was Mexican and Indian", so I really have no leg to stand on as far as her education and which tribe she might be a descendant from.
We've been attending Pow Wows since she was about 9 months old as spectators, but as she is getting older (3 1/2), she is wanting to get involved.
Last Pow Wow we went to we met an elder dancer who encouraged me to allow her to dance in future Pow Wow and who started talking regalia, and gifted her/us an abundance of feathers, beadwork, and ideas for her regalia.
I have the skills needed to create her regalia, but I have no idea if I can truly "toss" her in the arena so to speak since I do not feel I know enough of the culture/teachings to really help her comprehend how important what she would be doing is. Sadly that Pow Wow was really far from where we live (I was visiting a friend)so I cannot use "grandpa" as a help to teach her.
What are the rules of the Pow Wows in general when it comes to something like this? As I said I've only ever been a spectator before and it had not crossed my mind to involve my daughter other than in watching until this last Pow Wow.
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