scrubby looking drummers!

[ndngirl70]

yeah...that bugs me too. I can't say that I never party but I never drink if I'm dancing or singing. I think it just isn't right.

[Jingling_In_Stars]

This is a little off topic BUT, about 4years ago I was a powwow and the drum was hoppin' until. . . I saw one of the girls that had been jingling walk over to the drum hike up her jingle skirt and sit down right behind one of the singers, legs hanging out everywhere. Unfortunately, I am not one to tell other people what to do, but the fact that the people around her let that happen (she sat there for a good 20mins) made the drum look "Scrubby" to me.

[softwind]

All I got to say is when I was traveling the Red Road that most drum groups were lookin and smellin good. You know Stoney Creek, Southern Suns, and the ones from down home were all at their best at least most of the time. They took pride in what they do.

I do understand hard times, but at Wal-mart they sell baby wipes and you can even get Acts body spray and even toilet paper, bic razors and even toilet seat covers all for a $1.00. So if someone really cares about their higene there is away to be clean and look respectful especially around the drum.

Also, if some girls are judging the drum contest it might just help you guys if are looking and smelling your best especially if I might be judging ...

[50cal]

wow, so a drum's standing at the end of the powwow would be based on what a female judge thought of a singers clothes???.....and just not their ability to wail????.....remind not to go powwows in NC anymore.......LOL!!!!

[ndngirl70]

I remember watching a hand drum comp at Schemtizun one year. Cedar Tree came up and they all had matching outfits with the applique vests. Dang they looked sharp!

[50cal]

Now talking about Schemitzun for the best dressed drum group......Stoney PArk, Black Lodge, Northern Cree, Cozad and a bunch of others all looked pretty dang cool......that was when it was a lot more fun though......too much dang poilitics in everything.........it'snot about who looks good or sounds good anymore....it's who's kissing who's rearend all weekend that determines winners nowadays.....so line up those shots!!!....LOL!!!

[Chevy_truckin_NDN]

geez, I never paid attention to the way the drummers were dressed. Though at one powwow I did notice all the drummers wearing crisp white long sleeved button down shirts with white cowboy hats.....................gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh . Now that was nice.

[ndnsooner]

one year at thunderbird pow-wow, they made all singers put on jeans or pants. no shorts allowed.

[softwind]

wow, so a drum's standing at the end of the powwow would be based on what a female judge thought of a singers clothes???.....and just not their ability to wail????.....remind not to go powwows in NC anymore.......LOL!!!!

All I got to say is there ain't nothin wrong with looking respectful around the drum. Some of these groups practise and take what they do seriously, and really care that their drum not only sounds good but looks respectful and acts in a good way, it also earns them respect. So for me I look at all aspects. When some come in half cocked, and are there to just get a check so they can just keep moving on like some kind of game, to me that doesn't look good. If you are a true drummer to me you are there for the dancers, not just a check.

[laokie]

I agree Softwind. My dad was a singer from way back and his dad before him. They always came to the drum dressed in a dress shirt and slacks. He always told my brother that if he wanted to sing at the drum to always look his best, no t-shirts, no shorts, no tennis shoes.....this is to show respect for the drum. Nobody says you have to wear a suit and tie or beaded vest, but at least look decent!! Some of those drum groups may sound awesome but then when ya get a look at them it's a letdown!!

[lclbcook]

I was taught growin up that you look respectable around the drum. People see that, It dont look good if you look or smell bad. A lot of my teachins come from my dad and uncles, they told me things about your aperance around the drum show respect for the drum and the people around it.

[billyjoejimbob]

A couple years ago I got to go to Rosebud Fair. There were about 45drums. When they announced 5 singer minimum the number dropped about 10 drums. There were alot of community drums from Rosebud and Pine Ridge. They may not have looked dapper, but they were respectful.

I WAS rather disappointed at a couple tho. 1 in general who have a couple CDs out and are REALLY good. They were in their own world doin there own thing during the powwow, loud, rowdy and sloppy.

And I must say that it was the only time in 20 years that I have seen an MC stop a drum AND yell at them for about 5 minutes. (not the same drum, another one who sang a bad song)

[Dakota Sandz]

I've seen that once in my lifetime too..where a drum group got torn a new one for slicing up a song.
The drummers, god bless there souls, were new and a lil green to say the least, and were singing for the mens tradish catagory on sunday night for finals. well after the men lined up, an older man went to the mic and started rippin them a new one, explaining to them that they should know what they were singing, as what they were singing was wrongly translated in sioux and were saying swear words, most notably for the word wicasa (wee-cha-sha or wee-cha-sta if your dakota) but were saying wicasha and if you take the part after wica, that last part is a BAAAAAD one in sioux, meaning a womens private part.
He went on to tell them that they should practice and what not, and sing appropriatly.
I guess dude had a reason to get mad, but on the mic, I dunno. I woulda went up to them with some smokes or something and pulled them aside and told them what they did wrong, rather then embarass the hell out of them for the whole powwow to see.
I gotta admitt though...call me an azzhole, but I hate it too when I gotta dance to a sliced up song for competition, but ya know ya gotta take the good with the bad, most times the arena directer will get ya a CHO song the next song by the host drum or something...

sorry for taking this off-topic...but what billyjimbob said really reminded me bout when I saw that and thought I would share that.

[PappyRoach]

Whats so difficult about looking respectable if you are going to sit at a drum.It does not take that much time or effort to clean yourself and your clothes. Appearance reflects attitude and how you carry yourself, and it has nothing to do with what you have or don't have.
If you have a group of singers looking like slouches around a drum rest assured it will show in their singing and respect for what they are doing. Same thing with those drums I have seen who keep a small land fill of accumulated garbage around their drum area.

[Buckskinrose]

My nephew, at 6 years old, told a very popular lead singer of a drum group (who was trying to be with his mama) "You're FAT, Smell like Butt and Can't fit in our Car." When the singer asked why he didn't like him with his mama being together.
So I guess when Southern Singers are traveling all the time the rules around the drum do not apply to them like they do at home. I am sure that their Parents, Uncles, Aunties and Grandparents wouldn't let them dress or act like that around the drum at home.