Fan Less Jinglers

[Niijii'sMom]

Ok, I attened a pow wow In Florida today and there was 2 older teens, 1 junior and 1 little one. The two younger girls had fans, but the older 2 did not. is that something that is common? Im ottawa/ ojibwe and we ALWAYS teach the girls that when they dance they have to use their fans. its part of the tradition of the jingle dress. Anyways, whats the deal?

Niijii's Mom

[native_flutterby]

hmm i remember having this discossion with my grandmother before...they did have fans (eagle) when she was little nor did her grandmother, but they did have partridge fans, they were mainly kept on the side to fan them off when they were really goin to town. the eagle feathers were meant for the warriors or for ceremonies (big drum members among others) as for nowdays it's everyone has a fan, or at least natives these days. As for myself, i have a fan, but it stays at home, i use it for smudging, or whenever i want to talk to creator. I'll use a fan that someone will ask me to use when they want me to dance for them though.

[oneidaNmenom]

im oneida and menominee . and it is a option to use a fan or not. mostly all the tradish use em. there are some jinglers with em...

[MayChe]

Re: Fan Less Jinglers

Originally posted by Niijii'sMom
Ok, I attened a pow wow In Florida today and there was 2 older teens, 1 junior and 1 little one. The two younger girls had fans, but the older 2 did not. is that something that is common? Im ottawa/ ojibwe and we ALWAYS teach the girls that when they dance they have to use their fans. its part of the tradition of the jingle dress. Anyways, whats the deal?

Niijii's Mom

you were at Dade City???? i was one of the older ones that didn't dance with a fan. when i went up to Schmitz I saw the old style jingle competition and no one had a fan. watching them do it that inspired me to dance that way too. now i remember another discussion on whether having a fan or not was the old style way of dancing and i think that someone had said that they always used a fan. but looking at some old pictures of jingle dress dancers they didn't have fans either.

[Niijii'sMom]

Yeah, I was at Dade City. I live in Lakeland (i know it says MI on my profile, Im Wintering here) Anyways, You might have seen my little boy. He got dressed, went out for 5 seconds when they called the grass dancers, then came back to me and started pulling his regalia off. He was wearing turquoise and white. His pic is posted in the Childrens photos of the Picture contest.

Anyways, I ment no disrespect. My little sister is a princess too. She is a jingle dancer too. She was taught that she ALWAYS is to carry a fan. She happens to have an Eagle fan because it was gifted to her, but while she was in florida she used a buzzard fan. Anyways, Maybe its a Northern thing, but EVERYONE has one. In a contest, if you dont have one dont plan on even placing. they are particular. (at least the ones ive we've been too)

I like your dress, it was very pretty. If i find a pic of my little sister (she wasnt there, she had to be back in school in MI) i'll post it in the photo area.

Niijii's Mom

[blingblingjinglediva]

HHMMM I dance contemp...I have an eagle tail fan......I use it almost always,....I let my neice use it a lot though too...she loves dancin jingle but not without a fan..so I let her use it if it will get her to dance...ya know....shes reall careful with it....I try to leave it at home sometimes too.....I just dont want it to get rugged lookin....ya know.

[Smeshigaud]

I learned to dance without the fan and I still am not used to carrying one yet. I was told it was old style not to use one but then I've been told I should have one. I don't have one and I only use one like my cousin's in competition if I feel I need to.

[hidatsachic24]

well fans are optional depending on where your from...like great lakes around this area tradish jingle dancers are with no fan but if you go out west...they have a fan...i suggest go with what you feel is right according to your own nations ways...i personally use a fan to keep me cool cuz after a while dancing you get really hot ya know?and with my eyes always chaging color ...get lighter during the summer the sun always gets to me so use of the fan is a necesity for me...but traditionally the fan is suppose to use to catch the beats of the drum or something like that..