GON News: No. and So. buckskin dancers...

[~*Oji_Flava*~]

In my email, I got the December newsletter for Gathering of Nations.

Attn. Women's Buckskin Dancers: All women registered in the Northern or Southern Traditional Buckskin contest categories MUST be appropriately dressed. This requires that the dress be made completely of genuine buckskin leather. NO CLOTH SKIRTS! Those not dressed appropriately will be disqualified from the contest, no exceptions.

[Riverwoman]

Hola! Guess more then a few of us will NOT be there this year Gawd! Who are they to say that a cloth bottom is not "appropriate regalia"? :o

[walela49]

sheesh!

[ndnmba]

I got the newsletter and noticed that too. My question is: are they going to add women's northern cloth as a category then? If they are, then it's fine to have that requirement, if not, then they shouldn't do it. I went to the website this morning for a few seconds and couldn't find the flyer for next year yet.

[Two-cents1]

Okay, so that means that buckskin fringe doesn't count????

I can name off a few champs right now that would be out of luck if GON enforces that silliness.

Dawn DeCora started wearing a red tradecloth skirt with her beaded top back in '93 or '94, whenever she got her new white top. It was different at that time and looked great.

Orrie Littlesky wears a black tradecloth skirt with her beaded top. She has one of the best N. Trad outfits out there.

Jodi Gillete wears a cloth skirt with her beaded top and I think she won GON last year.

So, is GON saying that these women, who are all champion N. Traditional dancers, won't be able to compete unless they get a buckskin skirt? Is GON dictating how outfits should be made now? I remember a few years back one of the Abrahamson girls wore her beaded top with a cloth skirt and competed in the N/S Cloth category. Is that what GON wants?

What I would like to know is where does GON get these ideas? Is someone advising them or do they come up with this on their own? For people who are not even Indian (except Melonie) they sure have alot to say about how Indians are supposed to act and dress at a powwow.

[~*Oji_Flava*~]

The cloth skirt is pretty popular these days....

I am also wondering if they are including a N/S cloth category.
However, I'm sure it will cause some outrage if peeps do contest in the cloth category with a fully beaded top, however only have a cloth skirt, and then buckskin fringe.

Jodi's skirt is beautiful, "genuine buckskin leather" or not....It's all about the style of dance, and not the committee trying to 'justify' who should be disqualified or not.

Ridiculous!

[Dat1NdnGuy]

Originally posted by Two-cents1
I remember a few years back one of the Abrahamson girls wore her beaded top with a cloth skirt and competed in the N/S Cloth category. Is that what GON wants?

I dunno what GON wants, but I remember when she did that, and won or got in there somewhere anyways...and a buncha women didn't think it was fair at all...u know the beaded top and buckskin fringe but just put on a cloth skirt and WIN...its a contraversy to alot of the ladies in all cloth i'm sure. And I know alot of ladies that go into the regular ladies tradish buckskin, and they don't have a buckskin skirt, simply cuz its exensive, or whatever the issue may be...but it still looks like buckskin...So I wonder where they go?....hhhmmmm.....it's getting confusing these days, no matter what u do it's impossible to win....no matter how u slice it, someones gonna throw a fit...thats why theyre Splitting practicley everything up into Contemporary and "old style"....So I dunno what to make of it all, things have changed a great deal in the lil bit of time i've been gone, its strange how drastically things can change in the course of only three years....

[Kakeeya]

This sounds like a bullshyt rule and I hope more people will stay away from GON as a result. I myself do not go to that powwow, too commercialized for me so I stay away. I saw in the Denver March website where Derek Matthews was really cutting down the Denver powwow and telling people to stay away from it. This shameless cut throat mentality tells me that these people are not doing this for the love of Native people and powwow dancing but more for their own ego and status. My own opinion :o

[Riverwoman]

Originally posted by Kakeeya
This sounds like a bullshyt rule and I hope more people will stay away from GON as a result. I myself do not go to that powwow, too commercialized for me so I stay away. I saw in the Denver March website where Derek Matthews was really cutting down the Denver powwow and telling people to stay away from it. This shameless cut throat mentality tells me that these people are not doing this for the love of Native people and powwow dancing but more for their own ego and status. My own opinion :o

Yup Yup I have to agree. Just because one does not have a buckskin skirt, etc, does not mean they have any less of a right to dance... then those who do!

[*Kwe_Zee*]

You're avatar scares me! ssssssss
:Scared

[VIP4life]

If you really get down to it. Beaded tops aren't even beaded on skin no more. It's canvas. The only thing that is buckskin these dayz are the fringe. Are we going to be this trivial. One of my friendz has a beaded top beaded on canvas. Her fringe is ultra suede and her skirt is made of the same stuff. Looks real. She's satisfied with it. She's a good dancer and win's alot with it. Will there be a guard positioned at there stairway to inspect them as they walk down. Sounds pretty dumb if u ask me.

[~*Oji_Flava*~]

Wallflower, I agree.

I am wondering 'how' they are going to enforce this rule.
Not only that, only annoucning this new rule on their monthly newsletter isn't gonna cut it, or even in their list of rules.
I'll feel for all the ladies that show up with their 'cloth' skirts, and to their surprise...Sorry, Disqaulified!!! Unless, they go into a cloth category. But, I'm sure that will call on a whole other thread once GON is over and done with for 2004!

[ndnkidz_5]

PLus now adays there a lot of tops appliqued with buckskin fringe, and skirts. Shoot my girls I make them that way , cuz they grow too fast and the $....when they are older i'll do them all out of skin.

[Str8Dancer49]

Originally posted by walela49
Freakin GON...just one more reason NOT TO GO! Sheeeeeesh, I'm sick of that powwow:wall:

Bwahahahahaha.... so true.......

Originally posted by Oji_Flava
I am wondering 'how' they are going to enforce this rule.

Hey, does this mean that GON is gonna have a "Head Northern Skirt Chaser" working with their Head Northern Dance Judge?

I'll inspect some skirts! Just swing by my house on your way to the Pit!

[Direct_Effect]

Originally posted by Str8Dancer49
Bwahahahahaha.... so true.......



Hey, does this mean that GON is gonna have a "Head Northern Skirt Chaser" working with their Head Northern Dance Judge?

I'll inspect some skirts! Just swing by my house on your way to the Pit!

:Thumbs :Crazy