Southern Style & Crowns

[buckskin pantyhose]

Hello Ladies!
I'm a northern traditional dancer (buckskin & Elktooth dress) which will explain why i'm asking this question:

How did the CROWN become incorporated into the southern traditional style of dress?


When i was younger, i alway thought it was a "Princess thang" until i started hittin' the circuit hard & realizing it was somewhat of an accessory. I've seen such beautiful peices, matching from head to toe.

"Teach me"
~Buckskinz
:)

[buckskin pantyhose]

WOW!

Man, no body knows why they wear a crown?? I know there are a lot of southern dancers on this board, but no body seems to know the answer!
So i take it you just wear em cuz everyone else does.........

[Ree]

Cherokee Princess

Maybe their grandma's was a Cherokee Princess so they get to wear the crown..............:D

[Okwataga]

I'd answer but i don't wear a crown so i have no clue as to why someone else wears one.
D

[tipis]

It use to be that only a girl who had won the crown as a Powwow Princes could wear one. Today, anything seems to go. Looks like the Northern Dancers have influenced the Southern Buckskinn ladies. If this keeps going on, you will not be able to tell Southern from Northern dancers.

tipis

[tipis]

I prefer the beaded smaller crown to the big beaded ones. And, I do not wear a silver one as they can hurt the head....or it does mine. These metal crowns do to not seem to bend or fit the bumps on the head and can heat up in the sun. They can get very hot.

tips

[buckskin pantyhose]

Thanks Tipis!
Yea i must agree with Aurora49......they do seem to be getting bigger & bigger.....i can't image having something so huge on my head for an entire powwow.
I've seen some BEEEEEEEAUTIFUL beaded crowns, large & small....when i was younger i always wanted one but of course my mom had to put me in line & say "Sorry, we don't wear those!" So i settled for the headband instead. :)

~Buckskinz

[FancyStar]

if this keeps up they'll end up looking like those huge crowns people wear at Mardi Gras!!!

Do you think they'll have to enter their crowns as a separate contestant!?
Myself I want ahuge crown!! HUGE! Iwant you to be able to see my crown from across the pow-wow and parking grounds.
:JawDrop

[Okwataga]

So you'll be princess big headdress to fit on the princess big head????!!!!
cool avatar you change them like i change cars
I forgot you are princess of the butt crack clan

[Danzcraz]

The crowns are from winning a princess contest. Once you won a title, you were entitled to wear these crowns, hence the fully matching outfits. It became part of the outfit of a female who had once wore a banner for an organization or nation. When the girl made a new outfit, since she had already won the right to wear a crown, her family had crowns made to match the new outfits.

I still feel that only those who have won the right to wear them should. I don't think someone should just wear them cause they want too. Just my opinion. Pretty soon just anybody will carry the american flag into the area, cause they think it looks cool. Pretty soon will we just wear those war metals that we bought somewhere, just cause it is a symbol of great honor? We need to take a look at how we are going these days.

[buckskin pantyhose]

They really were royalty!

Well thank you DanzCraz........I appreciate it!!!
So i guess you could say it started out as an honor symbol for someone who earned it, that' pretty cool.

[Danzcraz]

You got it now!!!! :)

[TaShunka Luta]

Hey Buckskin Panyhose, Danzcraz took the words out of my mouth - I guess I didn't get on in time. But yeah, the crowns are from present or prior titles you may have held. I know in the Oklahoma area where there's so many powwows EVERY weekend in powwow season geez, all them got princesses so there's alot of crowns. I know up north they don't have near as many. I think it looks good though, adds a big piece of beadwork. I have been asked to bead crowns for other dancers that I know don't have titles so I guess some people don't know the princess deal, of course things change with time so someone just starting out might not know that the people that have them on are or were princesses, or held even state or national titles. Those Gathering of Nations crowns I think are about 12" high....aaayyye.

[southdances]

I agree with danzcraz! although most southern dancer that wear crowns have held a title. about the size yes some are to big, i have one thats pretty large. Yes it is a honor. I do think a lot of women, and younger women have forgotten. Just something to think about!

[Kiwehnzii]

I've been to a few powwows where they ask the "princesses" not to wear any evidence of (for lack of a better word) royalty during the contest. I've asked why and been told that' "we don't want to influence the judges". This is in the north BTW.

I've been to southern powwows were almost every contestant had one on.

Shouldn't the people putting on the dance have some extra crowns on standby for those who don't have one?
Just kidding!

I'm just throwing this difference in just to keep the thread going.

Good discussion ladies.