Saturday afternoon we went to Discovery Park for the
Pow Wow they have there every year as a part of Seafair. It was a really interesting experience. We got the feeling that this was put on primarily for the various Native American tribes and not necessarily for the public at large; though we felt very welcomed of course. Scott and I both felt upon leaving impressed and sad. We were impressed by the fact that these people were still holding onto and proud of their heritage but sad about what America has done to their society (regulating them to reservations which are usually no more than ghettos in the desert). We noticed that the children looked happy and beautiful but the adults looked as though they had lived hard hard lives. It looked as though many of them had associated themselves with either the Latino culture or the African American culture which is totally fine but I hope they continute to carry on their own traditions and heritage; it is such a unique and impressive one. I would have given anything to be an Indian when I was young.
This lady was by far the best dancer there. She was from this tiny town in the middle of Canada.
I always wanted a headress like this when I was young.
The next generation.
Saturday afternoon we went to Discovery Park for the Pow Wow they have there every year as a part of Seafair. It was a really interesting experience. We got the feeling that this was put on primarily for the various Native American tribes and not necessarily for the public at large; though we felt very welcomed of course. Scott and I both felt upon leaving impressed and sad. We were impressed by the fact that these people were still holding onto and proud of their heritage but sad about what America has done to their society (regulating them to reservations which are usually no more than ghettos in the desert). We noticed that the children looked happy and beautiful but the adults looked as though they had lived hard hard lives. It looked as though many of them had associated themselves with either the Latino culture or the African American culture which is totally fine but I hope they continute to carry on their own traditions and heritage; it is such a unique and impressive one. I would have given anything to be an Indian when I was young.
This lady was by far the best dancer there. She was from this tiny town in the middle of Canada.
I always wanted a headress like this when I was young.
The next generation.
Raised in a small South Dakota mining town where he learned the value of a sturdy pickaxe and native tubers, Scott is a man's man who knows the meaning of the word testosterone. Apart from devouring freshly slain beasts of the forest, Scott enjoys sharpening his tools, lifting heavy objects, and throwing a ball at a hoop suspended ten feet off of the ground. He also enjoys Romantic Era poetry and Italian cooking.
1 comment:
I've always wondered what it's like for American Indians. What's the cultural identity feel like? They're Americans, but America has done them one disservice after another, particularly with the crazy reservation system.
The Jews keep it together with heavy religious tradition, but the Indian tradition seems fragmented and harder to maintain.
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