Which Pow wow would you rather be at?

[young scout]

Hey all you Northern singers.......here's a question that requires some real honesty: Which pow wow would you rather take you r boys to? The traditional pow wow where there is no drum contest, just day money. OR the pow wow that puts up the big money drum contest? And WHY???????
yeah i know it may seem like a dumb question, but there is a point to it.
(c'mon now.....be honest. let's see who's real!)

[young scout]

hey i'm just tryin' to get things goin' in here again.......
Which group has the smoothest crow hops? What about side steps?

[Kiiwedinong]

I'd rather go to both to be honest with you and here is why. I enjoy competition, I'm a competitive singer. I enjoy going up against other big name drum groups and I also enjoy beating these big name groups. The money is pretty good too sometimes. Drum contest is very competitive; I get off on that kinda stuff.
A traditional pow wow is also needed in my summers. Its always good to go back to your roots. Tradish pow wows bring me back to earth, they take my head out of the clouds. These gatherings bring out the good part of me.
I've been told that I get to greedy going to all these contest pow wows trying to win the big bucks. I get ashamed when I am told of this, so I try and balance out the contest with the traditional. You know what?? Its an awesome feeling to be attending both pow wows.

[Morninghawk]

Traditional powwows of course. I do not even care if I am paid or not!! Day money is nice for the gasoline and being fed a couple of times a day is best.

I think the contest powwows with the big money is killing Indian people and making us do things we should not be doing like hauling commercialism into the hocoka/circle. It is making it so we traditional Northern dancers cannot even go to the big powwows at Prior Lake because of all the gezillionaire dancers and their entourages squeezing out families. These guys got several eagles on them when they should only have tops one in those "sateliite dishes" they wear.

I say more traditional powwows/wacipis. Money is what is killing our culture and ceremonies.

mitake oyasin

Morninghawk