Kaina1128

I recently got brought into the Gourd Dance by a Kiowa family. Being from up north, I'd never seen it before I moved to Colorado. When I was in the Air Force, I got gifted a shawl and some fabric at a powwow in Colorado Springs. Since I just got brought into this dance, I was thinking of making a shawl for myself out of that fabric. It is dark blue and red.

Which side do I put the red/blue on? Someone told my fiance that he should wear the red on his left side when he goes to war, but I've seen it worn all different ways. I've asked other people (including the people who brought me in) but I just wanted to see what you all think.

Thanks a lot!

__________________
www.paysbig.com/powwow

Urban Indian Wellness Consortium

Nooktoo tsitaapi kainaiwa


USAF

Kaina1128

<---- That's a pic of me at my first Gourd Dance, an honoring for my fiance after graduating from the US Air Force Academy

__________________
www.paysbig.com/powwow

Urban Indian Wellness Consortium

Nooktoo tsitaapi kainaiwa


USAF

2lineCarrandMorgan

i just bringing this back up maybe someone on now that knows

__________________
its said by,Deganewidah
I am Deganewidah, and with the Five Nations confederate lords I plant the tree of the Great Peace. . . . Roots have spread out from the Tree . . . and the name of these Roots is the Great White Roots of Peace. If any man or any nation outside the Five Nations shall show a desire to obey the laws of the Great Peace . . . they may trace the Roots to their source . . . and they shall be welcomed to take shelter beneath the Tree. . . .
for my Dad

then again somtimes i see a woman in the trees she only looks at me and i can only look at her i m what she is now....i thank her as i see her... then somedays i see her as she was and that i will never be,and still we look at each other,
hello my Mother my sister today i saw you more than befor ,now i know i have a need more to walk with you here than ever i knew befor. Thank you

.
“Something is at work in all of us,”
Peter Kinew


Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass..It's about learning to dance in
the rain.
for the wolf

WhoMe

Kaina,

There is really not a good answer for your question. The gourd dance is a man's dance. There are rules for men who sing at the drum and for those who dance.

There are no rules for women's shawls, unless they are "new" rules.

__________________
"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

Kaina1128

Ok, so what are the "old rules" for how men wear their blankets?

__________________
www.paysbig.com/powwow

Urban Indian Wellness Consortium

Nooktoo tsitaapi kainaiwa


USAF

fretg

The red side is always worn over the heart, during the day time and in the evening/nite, the blue is worn over the heart.

Zotigh

:)

WhoMe and fretg are 'dead on' for me, too. (although for me..the red follows the sun. So, in the day the red follows the sun. Just different teachings, I guess. Different grandma's..hehe))

If you are making a dance shawl to emmulate the men's dance blanket, any words you put on it will be up-side-down if you dance after sundown. hehe

But, as WhoMe points out...there are no 'rules' for women's dance shawls in Gourd Dancing. Other than the fact that women should wear a shawl when entering the circle.

__________________
Scott Zotigh
Kiowa Black Leggings
Kiowa Gourd Clan
Kiowa Tiah Piah
Kiowa Marine Veterans
American Indian Veterans

stymee

Just make it as pretty as you can make it, and wear it with pride, for your husband and yourself, and you family, and for God who gave us all our dances and songs and who made us indian. Make it keen.

stymee

Then you can come to Carnegie or Tia pai Park and invite us up to Black River Falls powwow, eh?

Kaina1128

Yeah I just wanted to make sure I didn't commit any faux pas since I just got brought into the dance and all. I don't want to be "that guy" (lol) who does crazy stuff at a gourd dance. It seems like no one can really agree, on here or within my family/friends, so I'm just going to make it "keen" haha and make sure to dance in a good way.

Thanks for your inputs. Consider yourselves invited to any gatherings here in the Wisco! We don't gourd dance much up here though...

__________________
www.paysbig.com/powwow

Urban Indian Wellness Consortium

Nooktoo tsitaapi kainaiwa


USAF

WhoMe

*pats you on the back.

I think you'll be alright with your plan. If anybody gives you any attitude, tell them Stymee, Zotigh and fretg told you it is okay. *L


..... on Wisconsin, ON Wisconsin.....


..... IIIIIIII'm a lumberjack and I, don't, care........

__________________
"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

principaldog2

What about these solid color or one color gourd dance blankets? I've seen a few men with all red or all blue blankets. I've even seen an all green blanket. When I first started dancing, my grandma told me that all-red blankets were for chiefs and their sons. One of my uncles follows that red over heart rule, but my other uncle said it's just one of those goofy made up gourd dance rules thought up by "gourd dance gurus". Then my other uncle says those red and blue blankets belong to the Native American Church and have no place in the gourd dance circle! I guess it's what ever you can get away with now.

streamhawk

and just to add to the confusion, I've seen no blanket worn.

I've also been told that red on left is more for a special person of status, and us regular folk wear blue on the left. I was taught red on left, so I do that. Sometimes I think we get lost in the details, for me it's more important to dance in the right way, to observe protocol, and conduct myself in a good way as a proper reflection on myself, my ancestors, my dance society, and those I dance for who can no longer dance. I try to learn from my Kiowa friends the best I can and not from someone who thinks they know what gourd dancing is.

Scott, I understand what you're saying about switching your blanket from day to night, but I kinda get lost when you say, "follow the sun". Could you elaborate a bit on this for my understanding, or send me a PM if that's better. Thanks.

Kaina1128

I think it's more that there are so many different people from so many different nations that participate in gourd dancing now that everyone does things a little differently.

__________________
www.paysbig.co