Jingle Dress Dancing Protocal and info.

[Red Pride]

My daughter is 6 and a half years old. She has always taken an interest in pow-wows, and recently began dancing during every inter- tribal. Somebody had given her a Fancy Dance Shawl regalia, and she was very grateful. She wears it with pride and respect. Lately though, she has been dancing more of a Jingle Dress style. She has also expressed a strong desire to learn Jingle Dress Dancing. We are Interior Salish/ Ojibway. The Ojibway side is from Ontario. I would like to learn the formal protocal for getting her started. Different people are saying different things. Some say that I can just make her regalia and she can learn from another dancer. Others say that because it is a sacred dance, there is a formal process. This process would involve learning our colors, recieving our names and taking part in ceremonies. I was asked " how much would you be willing to sacrifice to learn?". All that I want is to support her interest, and also learn for myself. I would like this for the both of us, because I would see it as another avenue for expressing our gratitude, connecting to our culture and celebratiing life.
May you be blessed with good health, love, peace and happiness.

[Choctawgirl]

Wanting to know too

I am wanting to start to learn how to Jingle myself. I have asked several people(here and in my community)and usually I get the reponse of ask questions of dancers you admire and respect, in addition to watch the dancers. If there is a proper protocal, I would like to know it as well, for I want to do this proper and I do not wish to offend anyone either.

:Help

[Kiwehnzii]

My family took part with a childs first time jingle dancing. The dress was prepared by the childs mother. The dress was hung outside all day from sunrise to sunset. During the day, a feast was prepared and a Spirit plate was prepared and an elder asked Creators blessings on the dress that it be used in a good way. The dress was smudged during the prayer. The plate was then placed in an appropriate "clean" location in the bush.

This is what we will do with my grand-daughters dress.

These were the instuctions learned from a respected jingle dress dancer from Northern Ontario.

Forgive me, Jingle dress dancers who read this. I am a man, but this lady is looking for information and my wife asked me to post this message to help her.

Miigwetch

[Kiwehnzii]

BTW, this is for a childs dress. When it is a young lady, the situation is different.

[Choctawgirl]

Not so young

Do you or wife know what would be appropriate for a "not so young" lady (I'm 34 )?

[Kiwehnzii]

I really shouldn't get too involved with too much of this subject. There are different ways that other nations prepare the dress for dancing. We are Anishinaabe. We learned this from an Anishinaabe Kwe. You may get replies from someone from your own nation. I would wait until you meet that person and discuss it face to face. Online explanations are so brief that vital information may get misinterpreted.

Good luck.

[Red Pride]

Thank You!

Thank you, to all of you who responded. The information was very valuable. I will use it wisely and respectfully.