question about feathered fans

wt_thunder · 06-06-2004, 03:36 AM

I was dancing in a competition acouple of weeks ago and had a great time of it.
When, one of the head female dancers, whom I knew, took me aside and mentioned to me not to raise my fan. when the drum strikes that beat and we put up our fans.
Traditional dancers have a womens eagle fan and have a red-tailed hawk fan. That day there was only one other dancer with a fan same as mine and didn't get a chance to talk to them- so if anyone wants to talk to me about this.

A friend of mine gifted me with the wing. I put together my fan by myself with no one else with me except the Creators instructions. I included all the four medicines that I incorperated into it plus a very small eagle feather that belongs to my youngest daughter.

It was hard for me to hear that traditional woman dancer whom I respect telling me my fan was bad luck to everyone else and the other dancers had sent her to me with that request. I respected their wishes and told her that I wouldn't raise my fan and I didn't wish any trouble on any of them.

I couldn't believe that she would think to remind me not to fan the drum - I would never do that.

What is the purpose of a woman fanning drums at powwow anyways? I have known only one older jingle dress dancer to fan a drum ever, yet this woman told me that she and the other traditional dancers had that honor/right.

Is my fan bad luck - she didn't take the time and gave me a fast generic answer like the eagle flies the highest. Was tobbacco to be passed between us when she spoke to me about this - yikes. Was I suppose to give to her or visa versa?

Help me out on this - I had the feeling like she wanted me to handed my fan over to her to get rid it.
I didn't tho cause I love my fan, having had many real life encounters with the red tailed hawk themselves. Strange, I was getting on a city bus and one even flew up to me and did that "spead eagle" thing then flew away. That still gets to me when I think about it - weird.

FancyStar · 06-15-2004, 11:43 AM

Is your fan a red tailed hawk or eagle?

wt_thunder · 06-15-2004, 06:39 PM

The fan I carry is a red-tailed hawk wing with a very small eagle feather. :0

Blackbear · 06-16-2004, 10:03 PM

are you sure it's red tailed hawk? I bet they thought it was Owl feathers

luvstraightdancrs · 06-18-2004, 01:15 AM

Do you know the maning of raising your fan? Or is it just something you do?

Okwataga · 06-22-2004, 08:49 AM

why do some women raise their fans and bow during like the veterans song?

and during intertribals?

Blackbear · 06-23-2004, 10:35 PM

a very basic explaination... north raise their fans, south bows and dances in place

Okwataga · 06-24-2004, 08:40 AM

so its a northern /southern thingy

i mean they do it at the same time bow and raise their fans

and i don't think they know what style they dance then if they do both at the same time

**MayChe** · 06-26-2004, 11:50 PM

down here that's how they dance.

the only thing i can think of is that southern dancers raise their fans to keep the sun out of their eyes and other saw this and now do it all the thime during honor beats and veterans' songs.

Blackbear · 06-27-2004, 05:27 PM

Probably alot of folks did'nt know the difference and saw someone doing something different from what they were doing and incorporated it into how they were dancing cause they liked the way it looked. From there other's followed suit.

KoolNDN · 06-27-2004, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJFS

the only thing i can think of is that southern dancers raise their fans to keep the sun out of their eyes and other saw this and now do it all the thime during honor beats and veterans' songs.

LMFAO!

I didn't know that southern dancers raised their fan much less to keep the sun out of their eyes. LOL!

Okwataga · 06-28-2004, 12:41 PM

you should come east a little and get a good laugh at how some women do stuff

raise the fan and bow thing for one

**CandaePrincess** · 06-28-2004, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolNDN

LMFAO!

I didn't know that southern dancers raised their fan much less to keep the sun out of their eyes. LOL!

*WORD*

lmao. Yeah ya know...that's exactly why I got a fan b/c I didn't want to buy glasses. Whay! bay-gah....that's a real muss statement. We also carry our shawls on our arms in case it all of a sudden gets really cold and we need to throw them on.....wee

wt_thunder · 06-28-2004, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbear

are you sure it's red tailed hawk? I bet they thought it was Owl feathers

Owl feathers are believed to be a "bad omen" for some here it's true but they seemed to know that it was a red-tail hawk.

I've switched to carrying a single eagle feather for now. A friend gave me a bunch of eagle feathers last summer and have to sit down and to ask (pray) about making my eagle fan. I have to ask in my next sweat and pay attention to my dreams.
Yesterday, I spread out my eagle feathers and puffed on it - I'll find out. For now, I'm waiting for an answer as to why I have that red-tailed hawk fan - it could have another use like sweatlodge? Who knows.

Tsiniti · 07-06-2004, 09:58 PM

Where do you Pow Wow? I've never heard of anyone making another put away their fan before, unless it was Owl. As to the raising of the fan, that seems to be individual, I've seen many who do, and many who do not!

I don't remember seeing anyone bow, except once, and she was giggled at by the others who did not!

I don't think of either being Northern or Southern, I've watched both styles, from people from all over the US, including Alaskans, and Hawaiians at different Pow Wows, they all do different that have nothing to do with either raising the fan, or bowing!

06-06-2004, 03:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
wt_thunder Turtle Clan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Manitoba Posts: 21	question about feathered fans I was dancing in a competition acouple of weeks ago and had a great time of it. When, one of the head female dancers, whom I knew, took me aside and mentioned to me not to raise my fan. when the drum strikes that beat and we put up our fans. Traditional dancers have a womens eagle fan and have a red-tailed hawk fan. That day there was only one other dancer with a fan same as mine and didn't get a chance to talk to them- so if anyone wants to talk to me about this. A friend of mine gifted me with the wing. I put together my fan by myself with no one else with me except the Creators instructions. I included all the four medicines that I incorperated into it plus a very small eagle feather that belongs to my youngest daughter. It was hard for me to hear that traditional woman dancer whom I respect telling me my fan was bad luck to everyone else and the other dancers had sent her to me with that request. I respected their wishes and told her that I wouldn't raise my fan and I didn't wish any trouble on any of them. I couldn't believe that she would think to remind me not to fan the drum - I would never do that. What is the purpose of a woman fanning drums at powwow anyways? I have known only one older jingle dress dancer to fan a drum ever, yet this woman told me that she and the other traditional dancers had that honor/right. Is my fan bad luck - she didn't take the time and gave me a fast generic answer like the eagle flies the highest. Was tobbacco to be passed between us when she spoke to me about this - yikes. Was I suppose to give to her or visa versa? Help me out on this - I had the feeling like she wanted me to handed my fan over to her to get rid it. I didn't tho cause I love my fan, having had many real life encounters with the red tailed hawk themselves. Strange, I was getting on a city bus and one even flew up to me and did that "spead eagle" thing then flew away. That still gets to me when I think about it - weird. __________________ I support blueberries, apples and mini marshmallows as a feast food.

06-15-2004, 11:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
FancyStar What Will Be Will Be Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cherokee,NC USA Posts: 580	Is your fan a red tailed hawk or eagle? __________________ Before you attempt to beat the odds, make sure you can survive the odds beating you! Why do some people bother breathing when you know their brain isn't getting the oxygen?

06-15-2004, 06:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
wt_thunder Turtle Clan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Manitoba Posts: 21	The fan I carry is a red-tailed hawk wing with a very small eagle feather. :0 __________________ I support blueberries, apples and mini marshmallows as a feast food.

06-16-2004, 10:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,618	are you sure it's red tailed hawk? I bet they thought it was Owl feathers __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

06-22-2004, 08:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
Okwataga Senior Dancer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: cherokee Posts: 952	why do some women raise their fans and bow during like the veterans song? and during intertribals? __________________ In life there are few things that are certain... me being sarcastic is one of them

06-18-2004, 01:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
luvstraightdancrs Senior Dancer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southern Straight country Posts: 660	Do you know the maning of raising your fan? Or is it just something you do?

06-23-2004, 10:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,618	a very basic explaination... north raise their fans, south bows and dances in place __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

06-24-2004, 08:40 AM	#8 (permalink)
Okwataga Senior Dancer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: cherokee Posts: 952	so its a northern /southern thingy i mean they do it at the same time bow and raise their fans and i don't think they know what style they dance then if they do both at the same time __________________ In life there are few things that are certain... me being sarcastic is one of them

06-26-2004, 11:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
MayChe Minglin' N Jinglin' Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Flo' Da Posts: 1,120	down here that's how they dance. the only thing i can think of is that southern dancers raise their fans to keep the sun out of their eyes and other saw this and now do it all the thime during honor beats and veterans' songs. __________________ Check me out on MySpace: www.myspace.com/mayasbored **~If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all. ~**

06-27-2004, 05:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
Blackbear Space Cowboy Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,618	Probably alot of folks did'nt know the difference and saw someone doing something different from what they were doing and incorporated it into how they were dancing cause they liked the way it looked. From there other's followed suit. __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

06-28-2004, 12:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
Okwataga Senior Dancer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: cherokee Posts: 952	you should come east a little and get a good laugh at how some women do stuff raise the fan and bow thing for one __________________ In life there are few things that are certain... me being sarcastic is one of them