Quote:
Originally Posted by unique_pw
Hello everyone!! As you can see I'm new to this and I just wanted to join to see if I could get some questions answered. I have a little boy whom I want to dance but have no direction. I've been going to powwows myself for about a year trying to get a feel for what's going on. My son is getting to an age where I feel he could start and I hear people all the time say that it's good for them to start at a young age.
My question is how do I start? I was told to ask an elder but my son and I live away from family and friends. I don't have any grandparents and most of my relatives have passed on. I also noticed that every powwow I've gone to has pretty much the same people and they all know each other and they seem pretty tight knit. I have yet to meet a friendly face who would be willing to direct me. I sometimes feel like an outsider when I go, but it's extremely important to me because I want to get my son involved. He is picking up drumming which I think is awesome. He walks around with any two things in his hand and sings!!! It's so amazing to him and myself that he picked it up at such a young age. (He's only almost 2!) So, if someone is willing to take me under their wing and direct me I would greatly appreciate it!!
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Welcome Unique_pw to powwows.com!
Well you came to get some questions answered, hopefully you'll stay a while, make some online friends who, maybe, you'll get a chance meet in the dance arena.
Regarding your son, well, I'm no expert, but I would suggest that you continue going to good powwows and listening to good powwow music, and watching good dancers! You will learn a lot by simply watching and listening at good powwows. You mention that the folks you've seen at the powwows you've been to seem pretty close knit and unapproachable. One of the nice things about powwows is that you get the chance to be close to family and friends! You'll probably find that the more powwows that you go to, the more that people will recognize and remember you and before you know it, you will be in that close knit group.
As far as your son goes, there isn't a big rush IMO. Based on your message, I assume that you haven't grown up in a powwow family. Given that, he, and you have a lot to learn about powwow ways, dancing, singing, protocol, etc. I think that it is fine for him to dance outside of the circle as you and he are attending dances and learning how it's done. Once again, the more that you're there, and doing things right, people will notice. Likewise, if you're rushing it and cutting corners and not doing things right, people will notice that as well.
So after typing all that, my simple advice is to sit back, become a member of our online family here at powwows.com and keep going to those dances every chance you get!