Pow Wow Committees and Lodging Responsibilities

[Wojapi4Me]

Attention all Pow Wow Committees:

Treat your guests well!!! I was just reading Nativegal's thread on scabies and how they caught it from a filthy hotel the pow wow committee put their group up it and it spurred me to start this thread.

When you invite people to come to your dance, it's your responsibility to treat them the best you can. Putting them up in a roach motel does not qualify. One time we were host drum and got there early before the pow wow started that night to check into the hotel only to find it was horrible. We called the pow wow committee chairman who was no help at all so we just changed hotels on our own and had to pay out of our pockets...thank goodness we had the resources at the time to do so. Many drums don't and the second time it happened to us we didn't, but that time the committee was more understanding and paid for us to change hotels.

On the flip side, I have been treated very well by some committees. Paul G and his wife put on a nice pow wow down in Columbia, SC and they put us up in a really good hotel down that way...took care of us the whole time. This is how it should be.

A word of advice to pow wow committees: when getting rooms for drums or head staff, stick to the chain hotels. They are usually much cleaner and have standards. Joe's Motel has a much higher chance of being a dump than a Holiday Inn.

[LSS]

I agree with SingerDad!

My wife and I were asked to Head Dance a pow wow somewhere (name & location undisclosed) and it was well out of town. We danced that afternoon, got the keys and off the hotel we went. Looks can be deceiving sometimes....I never try to judge a book by its cover. The first thing we noticed when we walked was this large cirgarette burn/just above the headboard of the bed.....I took one step into the room and my wife had to pull me back b/c she seen a hairy spider who was as large as a crab. I had set my things down on the chair next to the table and went to the bathroom after taking my shoe to the varment.....To be honest with you, I thought I may have been able to skin him and use the hide for a hand drum thats how large the sucker was, but, I had security on my mind. On my way back to the car to get the last few things, "pop-pop!" Gun fire went off just a little ways away and I quickly turned around and got all of my **** at one grab and reloaded the car!

My wife and I went up the road to a nicer hotel....It wasn't a chain hotel, but you could tell it was something where the name had changed recently from a chain name. We discussed our dissatisfaction with the Committee members on the next day and they were very apologetic. They took the receipt we had and refunded us what we paid for the room.

Talk about tryin' to be "Rico Suave' " and being cool w/ the Mrs., what a mood ruiner!

[NanGrand]

hotel rooms

unfortunately some people have ruined it for the rest of us.

what about committee's that end up stuck with costly room repair bills because of partying. or people that just stay beyond what is offered by the committee. i know one woman that has pow wowed for years never getting a room, then when her daughter was asked to be head staff she demanded 6 rooms. (i guess she wanted rooms for all the people she had imposed on in the past)

i think that committee's should work out deals with recommended hotels and then tell staff to make their our reservations. if they committee chooses the cover the cost of a room for staff they can give the staff person and envelope with the $ when the head staff person checks in with the committee prior to the start of the pow wow.

[2cuteUTE]

That's why contracts are a necessity. Negotiate before signing. Therefore the committee and Head Staff know exactly what has been agreed upon and what should be expected.

[debbieyd]

Powwow Committees responsibilities...?

I think if the powwow committee requests certain drum groups or dancers to their pow-wows, they should have a place for them that's comfortable, not necessarily a motel but perhaps someone's home...? When I asked the Mandaree singers to do a song for my dad's memorial war bonnet special I didn't know I was obligated to purchase a room for them, I was wondering why they asked if they would have a motel room ready? When I traveled with my parents to Rocky Boy, Crow Fair or where ever, my dad had made a lot of friends who would invite us to stay at their homes, that's what I call hospitality, when they invite you to stay with their families, motels are soooo commercialized like some powwows that you have to pay to get into!!!

[Mato Winyan]

I agree with SingerDad!

My wife and I were asked to Head Dance a pow wow somewhere (name & location undisclosed) and it was well out of town. We danced that afternoon, got the keys and off the hotel we went. Looks can be deceiving sometimes....I never try to judge a book by its cover. The first thing we noticed when we walked was this large cirgarette burn/just above the headboard of the bed.....I took one step into the room and my wife had to pull me back b/c she seen a hairy spider who was as large as a crab. I had set my things down on the chair next to the table and went to the bathroom after taking my shoe to the varment.....To be honest with you, I thought I may have been able to skin him and use the hide for a hand drum thats how large the sucker was, but, I had security on my mind. On my way back to the car to get the last few things, "pop-pop!" Gun fire went off just a little ways away and I quickly turned around and got all of my **** at one grab and reloaded the car!

My wife and I went up the road to a nicer hotel....It wasn't a chain hotel, but you could tell it was something where the name had changed recently from a chain name. We discussed our dissatisfaction with the Committee members on the next day and they were very apologetic. They took the receipt we had and refunded us what we paid for the room.

Talk about tryin' to be "Rico Suave' " and being cool w/ the Mrs., what a mood ruiner!

That's funny!! (it's not funny for you but dang if it isn't funny as heck for me!! )

[Singing Otter]

That's funny!! (it's not funny for you but dang if it isn't funny as heck for me!! )

I know right?!?! I'm over here howling! It wouldn't be funny if it happened to me but

[suthernwaterbird]

no but see the worst part is when you go to the room, your feet stick to the floor, there is claw marks on the wall by the bed, the tv button is broke off the tv, the power button on the remote aint there, and when you complain, the hotel manager kicks you out of the hotel. THEN the commitee gets a new a** handed to them. psh. NEVER AGAIN ALABAMA.

[SingingDeer]

I know right?!?! I'm over here howling! It wouldn't be funny if it happened to me but

...probably not very funny at the time, but I know my hubby and I woulda laughed our a**** off after everything was straightened out... talk about your "mood killers"

[ac_miss]

*LOL* at roach motels. I've stayed in my fair share of them before. It's not nice, that's for sure, but then again, there is a bright side---at least you're not paying for it. *LOL*

[Singing Otter]

no but see the worst part is when you go to the room, your feet stick to the floor, there is claw marks on the wall by the bed, the tv button is broke off the tv, the power button on the remote aint there, and when you complain, the hotel manager kicks you out of the hotel. THEN the commitee gets a new a** handed to them. psh. NEVER AGAIN ALABAMA.

wow.

@ feet sticking to the floor (eeeewwwwww)
@ claw marks and the brand spankin new a**

[WocusWoman]

Our powwow committee has hand-picked the type of drum that will be our guests this month; and yes a contract is the best way to go about this. It's amazing that when it comes to choosing a drum, what a big difference in beliefs each drum has. It's not good enough to just say all drums welcome; because you'll just end up with at least one that drums once, goes out to party afterwards, and then never shows up the other days. With a good contract; you have in writing what the committee will be providing and what is expected of the drum, and there should be less conflict and mis-understanding.

[Shygirl]

Our powwow committee has hand-picked the type of drum that will be our guests this month; and yes a contract is the best way to go about this. It's amazing that when it comes to choosing a drum, what a big difference in beliefs each drum has. It's not good enough to just say all drums welcome; because you'll just end up with at least one that drums once, goes out to party afterwards, and then never shows up the other days. With a good contract; you have in writing what the committee will be providing and what is expected of the drum, and there should be less conflict and mis-understanding.

It's always a good idea to have everything in writing,go over it and make sure all parties understand it and what is expected of everyone involved.

[Wojapi4Me]

I think committees should be held accountable for the type of accomodations they put their guests up in. I've served on committees for dances, and each time we personally checked out the hotels...did a run through of the rooms and all. A general test should be, "Would I let my children sleep here?" If there's any hesitation in answering that, then you've got the wrong place.

Contracts: I've always wondered what the actual legality of these pow wow contracts is. How legit are they? I've been part of many a group that has signed contracts for host gigs, and all of them say something to the effect of the group will be there to sing at these designated times and the committee will offer these rooms at this hotel and this specific amount of $$. What recourse does the committee have if the drum doesn't show up at all? Any? What recourse does the drum have if the committee renigs?

[nativegal]

After reading this I had to look at our copy of the contract again, like it does any good now, but it says that " the ______________ Nation Tribal Committee agrees to supply lodging for the above stated drum group at the tribes cabin." By this it did not go into detail so I never worried about it, also seeing that we have never had a problem before I never second guessed it.
I don't think I would have been as mad about the whole situation if it wasn't for the fact that it impacted me directly by my little girl getting this crap. It's hard to see a child suffer in any situation, especially when it is your own no matter how severe the situation.