what do you think?

[Okwataga]

I know alot on here have stated they were dancing before they walked.... cool, since you grew up around pow wows
what about the kids today? should they be as fully dressed in the arena for tiiny tots as the adults?

The girls with crowns, full shawls, skirts, shirts,breastplates.....

just curious, seeing how I myself have no daughter, you ladies with girls tell me your side.

[MaggieB]

things change

When I was little I remember my dance clothes. I had a pretty much fully beaded buckskin with all the normal accessories. I remember people saying that i always had "keen" dance clothes. As I have gotten older, I have noticed that the dance clothes of kids are getting more and more elaborate. Even I am guilty of making my nephew a really nice looking straight dance outfit. with everything. He was only 1 year old when he was dressed out for the first time. now he is almost 3 and it never fails every year he gets a new dance outfit and every year it gets more elaborate. I don't think he has ever had a pair of moccasins that weren't fully beaded. He has nicer stuff than most of the staight dancers at our ceremonials. This year he will be getting fancy dance outfit with (if i heard my father correctly) full eagle bustles. Now I think that is where it draws the line. At 3 you can't fully understand the respect of eagle feathers. but that is a different subject.

[superndngyrl]

my clothes when i was little were nice, straight Otoe tho. no leggings and my shawls sometimes matched or not. Just what looked clean.

My fan was made from wood and painted.

So imagine this. When i was 4 my parents would lose me in the arena cuz i would be on the opposite side of them and sit down on the ground and use my fan to dig holes.

My little kids will probably not have some real nice stuff til I know they can take care of it. :)

[luvstraightdancrs]

My little kids will probably not have some real nice stuff til I know they can take care of it.

I am inclined to agree with this. Seen too many little ones fully dressed and then rolling around on the ground or in the dirt. I think a basic outfit - skirt & blouse (if that is your tribal style), dress, mocs, and shawl are the best starters. Beadwork can come later - as well as fancy fabrics. Keep it simple, kids get dirty quick, make it easy to care for (machine washable) and affordable -- they grow too fast.


My daughter had an Otoe dress, made by her auntie, purse and mocs. Nothing fancy - just pretty.

[pawtoeman]

what do you think?

I tend to agree with MaggieB aboute the eagle feathers that this young man is too young for them. And superndngyrl and luvstraighdancrs have a good point about nice clothes until they learn to take care of them. Good point indeed.

BUT, I personally like the way Osages do with their young. They explain and talk with the young ones until they know what and how there suppose conduct themselves before they bring them into their dance society. Now thats really a nice sight behold!

[Blackbear]

Well if you all have seen my daughter's pic in the gallery, then you know I go all out with hers. But I do it myself and I have the resources and well...she's just my little pride and joy (the little beast)!
I know exactly what you are talking about when you see the little kids rolling around on the floor and such, but I keep mine reigned in while it is dancing time...then when she gets tired I change her back into her street clothes.
I don't know any other way of teaching her how to properly behave when dressed other than that way ...well and that is also cause that is how I was taught..only I had to dress for sunday church too. Some of us iroquois mothers are just fussy that way about dressing the kids up and keeping them nice looking (lord knows my mom was a fanatic of this).
I am not telling anyone how to make thier kids act though...kids should be allowed to be kids... just not mine LOL..no, just kidding on that too... just I am trying to teach her when it is time to play and when it is time to act like a human instead of a puppy dog.

[Okwataga]

thanks everyon, with the boys i've used the simplest measures of dressing them, but now that they are growing and showing more maturity (no laughing there) I dress them more and use eagles, will be starting on their bead work soon.

but this was good to read about, seeing as how girls can accesorize!