Toronto Skydome Results

[Kiwehnzii]

Bad vibes

There sure is a lot of negativity about singing contests. They (skydome committee) should cut out the contest. That would be great.
I'm going to e-mail the co-ordinator and suggest that they spend the $20,000 dollars on the top five finishers and have strictly 5 invited drums.Four grand each.
They're bound to have quality tunes for every dance contest, as well as stop all this bickering after the fact from the non-placing drums.

A good solution.

[billylongfeather]

come on now people stop pullin my leg.............yeah i am sure deep down everyone is singing and dancing for the people but be honest the money doesn't hurt either. we have people on here trying to say it isn't the money but that they sing and dance for fun and to feel good yeah well i wont deny that but...................can you put tobacco in your gas tank......can you eat good feelings.............no didn't think so!
And for the people who are gonna come on here and tell the singers and dancers to get real jobs don't even bother.............these singers and dancers are experiencing life to the fullest....they see everything and some have been coast to coast seeing what most of us just see on TV and that itself is just as valuable to some as a job. These peole sing and dance for you and they should be compensated as such. So come on people be honest and quit hiding on the truth and admit the money doesn't hurt. Save me and everyone from having to hear how "Indian" you are and how many trees you hugged today. If the money didn't matter than why aren't there as many dancers and singers at say walpole islands contest powwow? WHY? Because the payout ain't good enough...........Thank you.....that is all

[the keenest]

haw!

[roundanceman99]

I SANG FOR 11 YEARS NOW, AND I DON'T INTEND ON SLOWING DOWN. I NEVER ONCE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE MONEY I MADE, OR HOW MUCH I SHOULD OF GOT. I WAS HAPPY JUST BY GOING THEIR AND HAVING FUN PLUS ENJOYING MYSELF. WHEN I FIRST STARTED SINGING WITH PIPESTONE CREEK AT 16 THEY TEASED ME AND GOT ME MAD AT SOME POINT, BUT I LEARNED TO LIVE WITH IT BECAUSE I SEE IT NOW AS THEM HUMBLING ME OUT. I WENT TO ALOT OF PLACES WITH THEM, AND I THANK THEM FOR SHOWING ME WHAT SINGING IS ALL ABOUT. I REALIZED THAT I WOULDN'T SING WITH ANYBODY ELSE, BECAUSE I HAD GREAT TEACHERS IN VERN AND GRANT. PLUS THE OTHER BOYS WHO HAD INFLUENCED ME ALOT IN MY YEARS OF SINGING WITH THEM, I HOPE WE HAVE MANY YEARS TO GO BOYS. BECAUSE OUR SINGING IS SINGING FOR THE SOUL. AHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Big Chocolate Thunder]

That is a very good point. What I am referring to is singing in the strictly technical and judging aspect of it, while assuming that all of the other intangibles are being conducted in an appropriate manner. Issues such as respect and honesty and love and whatever else have you are non-issues. I find the debate on the placings at Skydome have shifted to a discussion of judging procedures and finally the ever-so-vague topic of respect etc., etc.. Talking in a technical aspect (as drums are judged) I think the placings were off at skydome and those that deserved to win or place a little higher did not. That is the topic of discussion here.
It seems many others agree with me. The only other avenue left to pursue (if it is even worth it) is why they didn't place as they should of.

[BrownHornet]

All of these threads sorta remind me of a soap opera. It never ends and has new twists and turns almost hourly.

BH

[Whateverz]

:Mad Ok so you want recognition for singing good, or for practicing your azz off, well have you heard of show some respect and it will return to you.

See all these new groups expect that if: they made some good songs, pratice they're azz off,got in (placed) at some good powwows,have been traveling all summer long, have a full crew (12 or so singers) that they deserve to be recognized, your right
BUT having and showing respect is the winner.
YOU see all the top groups have this they don't bad mouth, they have respect for the drum, they take everything seriously (making drum recall), not thinking just because we have a full crew and blast out some songs we have it hands down, having and showing respect is what gets you to that point. This is why those top groups are still legends.
These groups (the Top ones) have been singing since they were just young boys (3-5 yrs. old) going to powwows with their dads, learning to lead at a young age, knowing their language and not just to make a song, taking that drum out in the bush and sweating with it, fasting with it, praying with it before it is even brought out to a powwow. IT's not just making a bad azz song and saying we have 12 singers just givin' her and saying ok I want a piece of the pie now.

YOU MUST EARN THAT!!!

If you ask me (and if you don't) whether you come full or half crewed and you sing with respect, power, and strength your on the right path to getting that recognition some day.

AND YES POWWOW PEOPLE WILL SEE THIS!!

:) :)

[Big Chocolate Thunder]

Good comeback.


Relax y'all.
We're all just talking here.

Stay Chocolatey!!!!!!!!!

B.C.T.

[NATIVE_DIVA]

:p I DON'T SEE NO HIPPIES HERE..........MUST BE FROM THE BUSH !!!!!:p

[Big Chocolate Thunder]

..........................whatever................ ...........hippies...............

[NATIVE_DIVA]

I WAS AT TORONTO AND I PERSONALLY THOUGHT THAT THE JUDGING WAS GOOD. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A SINGER BUT AM RELATED TO ONE OF THE DRUM GROUPS THAT PLACED. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY "HATERZ" ON THIS BOARD, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PEOPLE THAT "ARE" HATING ARE EITHER THE GROUPIES OR SINGERS THEMSELVES. THERE ARE PRO'S AND CON'S TO EVERYTHING, AND THERE ARE ALOT OF IGNORANT PEOPLE ON HEAR THROWIN THEMSELVES ON THE FLOOR AND THROWIN A FIT CAUSE THEY OR THERE GROUP DID NOT MAKE TOP 5 . "DON'T HATE .......CONGRADULATE"

NATIVE PEOPLE WERE NOT HEAR TO ACT LIKE WHITE PEOPLE OR BE POISINED WITH HIS (WHITE PEEPS) BAD MEDICINE........LIKE FOR INSTANCE MONEY AND GREED, AND JEALOUSY. HAVE FUN AND DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL **** !!!!!!!! I AGREE WITH 'WHATEVERZ'.
IF YOU HAD A REAL JOB YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO USE POWWOWS AS A BATTLEFIELD, BUT AS A VACATION TO GET OUTTA THE MADNESS @ WORK, TO SEE OLD FREINDS-MEET NEW ONES, AND JUST HAVE FUN. WHO CARES IF YOU PRACTICED YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND DON'T PLACE THE WAY YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD. JUST BE HAPPY THAT YOU CAN DO IT !!!!!!! BESIDES WITH AN ATTITUDE THAT MAKES YOU PISSED OFF AFTER EVERY POWWOW CAUSE YOU DIDN'T WIN.......GUESS WHAT YOU PROLLY NEVER WILL. BE POSITIVE, BE HAPPY,HAVE FUN, AND QUIT TRIPPIN' !!!!!:p :p

[Big Chocolate Thunder]

C'mon!! What's with all the philosophy?? Sing for singing?? Shut up! All the singers you see love to sing and they all learned the teachings and practiced hard over the years to get where they are today. When people get mad over the results, they aren't getting mad over money they made or lost, they are getting mad over not getting recognized. That's right, not getting recognized!! When you work your a$$ off learning songs and practicing and you tear it up at the pow-wow, that group should be recognized for their efforts. If a boxer dosen't train- his a$$ gets knocked out. Whos fault is that?? Should they fight just to fight or should the better trained guy win??? That would be like getting a fat outta shape off of the street and sticking him in the ring with Lennox Lewis. Lennox knocks him out and then loses!!??!! That's what its about. So why doesn't everyone quit crying and acknowledge those that deserve it. Those who sing about "sing for singing, and don't be greedy" can check that stuff at the door. The guys I know practice their butts off before they go to any contest powwow and they know how they will place. And what they receive SHOULD be what they deserve. That way if they keep losing they know they gotta fix sumthin' and if they keep winnin' they gotta stay on top of their game and i'm out.

[Whateverz]

:Mad
First goot words to:ndn blvd, rounddanceman99, singerdad, and who ever else wrote goot words in on this post.

like what has been said powwowz are for having fun, enjoyment, seeing old friends, what is all this on hatin' on other groups or results. Thank your lucky stars your NDN and have these to enjoy and share.

Anyone can sing, anyone can drum, but it takes talent to do both.

If you are a “true” singer or dancer you would know that it is not all about who wins, or who didn’t win
BUT about if you did either (of these) to the best FOR you, these two things are very spiritual and should remain that way. Winning is just a nice little feature that can sometimes make it all worth the while.

IF YOU DEPEND ON POWWOW WINNINGS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK THEN YOU NEED TO STOP WRITING ON HERE AND STARTING LOOKING FOR A JOB!!

I was raised on powwows, have loved powwows through and through, have a job and still try to make all the top ones, JUST TO HEAR, SING, and DANCE because this is who I am.

IF you ask me (and even if you don’t) they just have these HEAD JUDGES as an escape from the PW Committee getting all the shaft.
The drum judge if you watched only got to pick the judges he did not tabulate, nor did he enter the ballots into the system, just handed over. Which is how it usually has been done at most powwowz.
The committee has there own people taking the ballots and entering them on the tabulation system.
So like I read in one post if YOUR not happy then just don’t go back next year.

Whitefish Jrs. Yes they have Harvey, but like I also read he was not singing by himself, he had 6 others singing their asses off with him. 6 (six) and they sounded strong and alive, just “givin’ her”, and again with just 6 singers.

For those of you who wrote in thinking Bear Creek should’ve took it or placed higher, just a little FYI they need to work on there pickup beat, it is toooooo loooonnng and throws the beat and tone off. (JUST some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, NOT trying to say anything more or less.)

[The Rock]

Thanks Vern....

You know that if during those danceoffs if the dancers were allowed to pick their drums you and your boys would've been in there...picked by dancers to sing for them....that's the ultimate first prize.........when the pow-wow committee wanted round dances....they went to Pipestone Creek...that's respect....

I haven't seen you guys set up in a long time so I was happy as hell to see you out there....

good words....

Rock

[Two-cents1]

Thank-you for the good words Vern......just shows me again why you guys are one of my favorite drum groups.

Two-cents