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I want to take this time to say something that some may not care for.
I want to say that I feel proud and honored to be a Veteran from a area that has The Gourd dance. I have been introduced a long time ago as a Gourd dancer. I have made mention from time to time what I want to say now.
Not all "Indian People" are the same and we don't all share the same traditions. When someone comes to you and asked what is going on or what is this Gourd dance answer them as you want to be answered yourself. We all too often think of these unknowing folks as WANNABES or new agers. This may not be the case. Our Gourd dance is traditionally from a certain area of the Indian world, Not worldwide. If you were to ask how they honor their Veterans I bet they could tell you their ways.
The "POWWOW" is kind of a relatively new thing. It came about from transIndian movement, Pan-Indianism, Wild west shows and another way for our families to get together. Most of our Tribes have their own ways of celebrating individual traditions. We need to remember when we go to anothers dance that they may not have the same ways. I know that I may have my own view point of how a Powwow must be but that is because I am from the OK influence. In OK we are influenced by many different Nations to make what we know. I remember when the Aunts and Uncles, Grandmas and Grandpas would all help Mom and Dad correct us. much too often this didn't just stop when I became an adult. I want to thank all of these passed and here today. I challenge all of the elders(anyone that is now an adult) to take these things we remember and help out the youngsters around us.
I will stop here because I'm starting to ramble on. But we don't all share the same traditions just because we are "Indian".
A-ho/Wa-do!!!!!!
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BOB
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