grass evolution

[sookout sh'nob]

I hit a snag in some research and figured it make a decent forum post, read on true believers:

So, the popular theory on grass evolution is that it (and other men's styles) originated with the war dances of the Hethuska/Heluska societies. When folks talk about the grass dance, they often state that the scalps begot sweet grass braids begot yarn fringe...

I'm wondering how the fluffs on old time outfits came into being - I don't mean the accent fluffs that a lot of dancers where today, but the old styles that had no/very little fringe with rows of fluffs in their place. The fluffs get left out in the popular history recited by MCs and anthros alike, and I can't stop thinking about where they might come from.

Anyone know? Have a theory? Ancient legend? Rampant speculation?

[Tom Iron Eagle]

Fringe Origins

Good Question. Here comes a very long kind of answer.

Now to those that are much older, they can remember when the term “powwow” was unheard of and a dance was called a Doin’, Gathering, Feast, etc. and among many on the Plains it was called the Grass Dance, Hot Dance, Buffalo Dance, Omaha Dance and more.

In fact some of the older folks have a hard time with what is called the Grass Dance today. They still think of the “powwow” as the Grass Dance and use the term “Buffalo Dance” and later “Buffalo Grass Dance and even later “Shake Dance” and “Shake Suit Dance” for what is called the Grass Dance of today.

Anyway, for what we now call the “Grass Dance” the basic outfit of the fringe and what it is made of can be traced to what is often called the SUPRESSION PERIOD. This was the time after the Removal Period of the Eastern Tribes to the West and creation of the Reservation Period in the West for both Western and Eastern Tribes.

The Suppression Period was the time when things seemed perfect for the U.S. to make newer demands on the Native People. Since most Tribes were now either on Reservations or forced into some kind of submission, the next step was to outlaw any and all cultural forms of the people including most social and practically all sacred ceremonies. As we all know this was a forbidding of language, music, dance, art, crafts, and just about everything.

Finally by the very late 19th Century, some things were allowed to come back for some Tribes. But by now there was very few that could remember many of the old ways including the arts and crafts. To do the dances again people had to rely and what they could get from the local traders and or trading posts and that usually meant non-traditional items like yarn and satin cloth, cloth fringe, long-johns, sleigh bell harnesses, etc.

Those that did the “Buffalo Dance” would take the long-johns and die them various colors. To these they would sew on fringes of what ever material they could get which was usually yarn or even the fringes torn off of clothing as well as lamp shades or furniture (this was very common in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century to see fringe on lamps, chairs, table runners, table cloths, etc.). They would acquire this as best they could in trade or from stuff the Whites were getting rid of. As for the feathers, it was known that some used any kind of feather fluffs that they could get. This could be natural from various birds or from old feather boas, hats, pillows, feather beds and more that was acquired from the Whites in various ways.

Ribbon at this time was not used much as it was hard to come by and very expensive in trade - Which is rather strange because ribbon was highly traded with the Natives by the Europeans in the early days of the Fur Trade when ribbon was used greatly in Eastern Clothing items like shirts, leggings, breechclouts, wrap dresses, match coats, and so much more.

[sookout sh'nob]

You're probably right there Tom, I wonder who did it first and if they had a reason. I've seen quite a few pictures of older prairie chicken dance outfits that look just like grass dance outfits of the same period (with the fluffs rather than fringe). Most of these pictures were from the Saskatchewan/Alberta region - so I wonder if maybe grass dance in that area was influenced by prairie chicken doings or possibly even the other way around - and maybe this process was reciprocated when prairie chicken dancers started adding fringe (Chainette, ribbon, upholstery trim).

Would be interesting to know. I may have to take a road trip out west.

[IlnuSoldier]

so then... what is the grass dance really and will it evolve more?

The dance may have origins.. but as it has spread and been influenced and altered from region to region--- I find it hard to say that it is the "same" dance... it seems more like it is its own entity now ...

like.. instead of being the same guy... the grass dance of now is the son of the older grass dance... "father and son" you know?

With that said... what comes next ? Will this "son grass dance" have some more kids and spawn other "grass dances" ?
Will they be variations of the grass dance or will they become their own seperate dances (new dances) ?

Will they gain acceptance ? Or will we hate on and fight those new dances 'cause they are "too different" from the dances we do now ?

Where is the line between "protecting tradition" and "stifling creative growth" ?

Do we want to see the dances stay the same? Or should they grow and branch off new dances?

What about Grass, specifically (in relation to its already hazy origins)

[sookout sh'nob]

Good questions. As near as I can tell, fads come and go, but things that really touch hearts seem to stay and thrive.

I think we're doin ok today with the "old style" and contemporary categories, I like to see the older moves ESPECIALLY with jingle dress and men's traditional styles.

Change? I think fancy feather dancing could use a kick in the pants,seems to me most grass dancers are fancier and funkier than the majority of the fancy feather dancers - not that there arent' exceptions.

[t-bone]

Good questions. As near as I can tell, fads come and go, but things that really touch hearts seem to stay and thrive.

I think we're doin ok today with the "old style" and contemporary categories, I like to see the older moves ESPECIALLY with jingle dress and men's traditional styles.

Change? I think fancy feather dancing could use a kick in the pants,seems to me most grass dancers are fancier and funkier than the majority of the fancy feather dancers - not that there arent' exceptions.

i thought it came from a boy having a vision of the dance..IDK the whole story but he imitates the horse in his vision somthin about the plumes they where i think theirs 7 of them 1 on each shoulder and idk where the others go but the furs on the ankles rep the hoofs...again i dont know alot about this story i heard that little guy that wears a cowboy hat his last name is whiteman..he's from lame deer MT.. i heard him tell the story when i was a kid..

[WhoMe]

I'm wondering how the fluffs on old time outfits came into being - I don't mean the accent fluffs that a lot of dancers where today, but the old styles that had no/very little fringe with rows of fluffs in their place. The fluffs get left out in the popular history recited by MCs and anthros alike, and I can't stop thinking about where they might come from.

Anyone know? Have a theory? Ancient legend? Rampant speculation?

Marabou fluffs are made from white turkey and domestic chicken that can be dyed different colors. Other names for these types of feathers are turkey blood quill and wooly boogers. Other names for chicken marabou plumes are blood quill, mini marabou and chickabou.

Both were commercially used in the 1800's to make colored feathered boas.

My theory?

A feathered boa could supply several grass dance outfits of that period.

[sookout sh'nob]

He Northern Arapaho by chance?

his last name is whiteman..he's from lame deer MT.. i heard him tell the story when i was a kid..

[sookout sh'nob]

Makes as much sense as using CDs for spreaders. Wherever they came from, I really like the way they look!

My theory?

A feathered boa could supply several grass dance outfits of that period.

[WhoMe]

He Northern Arapaho by chance?

sook,

No. He's Sutaio (Northern Cheyenne)

Here is his version of the origin of the Grass Dance:

http://www.medicinewheelmodel.com/cms/index.php?page=dance-performances

[sookout sh'nob]

Awfully short, he must have been tired of typing

sook,

No. He's Sutaio (Northern Cheyenne)

Here is his version of the origin of the Grass Dance:


Phillip Whiteman, Jr. Presents the Medicine Wheel Model to Natural Horsemanship

[IlnuSoldier]

Nevermind..

[Iowa_Boy]

furs on ankles comes from pre-rez men's societies. Several wore fur around there ankles, usually skunk, fox, coyote. A group of Lakota were traveling with a wild west show and saw the Mexican cowboys with the mountain goat fur chaps. They got some of the chaps and cut them up, slowly this change spread throughout the north, so that everyone replaced their furs with the standard mountain goat/icelandic sheep of today.

[T. Jude Fox]

Well uhh...hmm