question on grass dancers competeing

moonshadow · 05-21-2003, 03:37 PM

My son has been grass dancing for over a year... he is 11 years old , he dances from the heart and works and practices hard...he takes it very seriously ..anyway..he is good and has won and placed at several competion powwows...he doesn't mind whether he is competing or just dancing and having a great time..anyway..a group of people are harrassing him about competeing and saying that since a grass dance is a medicine dance he should not compete. I have spoke to some elders and other adult grass dancers and they have all said as long as he dances from the heart that is all that matters, but that people have different beliefs...can someone give me some advice on this?

**Kiwehnzii** · 05-21-2003, 06:02 PM

I see you are from Kentucky. Maybe you should ask some of you're elders at that honoring of "Lost Nations" powwow in Ohio.

**billyjoejimbob** · 05-21-2003, 07:17 PM

Why does that happen at all powwows in the smokys? Strange folks out there. Medicine Dance? Did they allow Jingle Dress Competition?

If you think about it then only fancy feathers and shawl would be allowed in competition since the rest are warrior, medicine and society dances (or evolved from them)

Nishnawbe10 · 05-21-2003, 08:25 PM

i been dancing all my life i started dancing as boy, boy fancy feather. now i just dance grass it is okay to dance at any event along as it is from the heart..

jcurley17 · 05-21-2003, 09:19 PM

i'm from arizona and no one has told me anything i agree with the others. if it is a medcine dance why did we all start to bring it in to the pow-wows in the frist place? And with the Traditional dance it is a warrior dance, but here in arizona it is done as a comptional dance to see who can dance better without becoming to fancy. I'm a traditional dance i just came in here to see what all of you were talking about. my grandfather told me a stoiry about the grass dancers. and it's the one about how the grass dance went out before the pow-wows to flaten the bufflo grass so that the other dancers had a place to dance.

moonshadow · 05-22-2003, 11:18 AM

It makes me feel better to see that most of you look at it the same way I do....we went out west and my son danced at the Gathering of Nations...it was great...some of the people this side of the country come up with the craziest things...we try not to put down anyone's beliefs and we respect everyone...it's just so many little "groups" have their own beliefs you wonder where they came from...I don't feel like they should push thier beliefs on others though...I will continue to get input on this...thanks!

**billyjoejimbob** · 05-22-2003, 11:24 AM

my flourescent orange and green yarn is VERY sacred!!!:Chatter

**Smeshigaud** · 05-22-2003, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by billyjoejimbob
my flourescent orange and green yarn is VERY sacred!!!:Chatter

**Kiwehnzii** · 05-22-2003, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kiwehnzii
I see you are from Kentucky. Maybe you should ask some of you're elders at that honoring of "Lost Nations" powwow in Ohio.

Hey Moon, you took this post serious didn't you?

jinx · 05-24-2003, 08:46 PM

hey moonshadow!!! ive seen him dance and he is awesome!!!

05-21-2003, 03:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
moonshadow Traditional Dancer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ky Posts: 91	question on grass dancers competeing My son has been grass dancing for over a year... he is 11 years old , he dances from the heart and works and practices hard...he takes it very seriously ..anyway..he is good and has won and placed at several competion powwows...he doesn't mind whether he is competing or just dancing and having a great time..anyway..a group of people are harrassing him about competeing and saying that since a grass dance is a medicine dance he should not compete. I have spoke to some elders and other adult grass dancers and they have all said as long as he dances from the heart that is all that matters, but that people have different beliefs...can someone give me some advice on this?

05-22-2003, 11:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
moonshadow Traditional Dancer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ky Posts: 91	Thank you all so much for the input It makes me feel better to see that most of you look at it the same way I do....we went out west and my son danced at the Gathering of Nations...it was great...some of the people this side of the country come up with the craziest things...we try not to put down anyone's beliefs and we respect everyone...it's just so many little "groups" have their own beliefs you wonder where they came from...I don't feel like they should push thier beliefs on others though...I will continue to get input on this...thanks!

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05-21-2003, 06:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kiwehnzii Oldfart Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,846	I see you are from Kentucky. Maybe you should ask some of you're elders at that honoring of "Lost Nations" powwow in Ohio.

05-21-2003, 07:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
billyjoejimbob Fat Singer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: white guy land Posts: 1,512	Why does that happen at all powwows in the smokys? Strange folks out there. Medicine Dance? Did they allow Jingle Dress Competition? If you think about it then only fancy feathers and shawl would be allowed in competition since the rest are warrior, medicine and society dances (or evolved from them)

05-21-2003, 08:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Nishnawbe10 Proud Nish from Canada Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Canada and the USA. Posts: 165	i been dancing all my life i started dancing as boy, boy fancy feather. now i just dance grass it is okay to dance at any event along as it is from the heart..

05-21-2003, 09:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
jcurley17 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Posts: 50	i'm from arizona and no one has told me anything i agree with the others. if it is a medcine dance why did we all start to bring it in to the pow-wows in the frist place? And with the Traditional dance it is a warrior dance, but here in arizona it is done as a comptional dance to see who can dance better without becoming to fancy. I'm a traditional dance i just came in here to see what all of you were talking about. my grandfather told me a stoiry about the grass dancers. and it's the one about how the grass dance went out before the pow-wows to flaten the bufflo grass so that the other dancers had a place to dance.

05-22-2003, 11:24 AM	#7 (permalink)
billyjoejimbob Fat Singer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: white guy land Posts: 1,512	my flourescent orange and green yarn is VERY sacred!!!:Chatter

05-24-2003, 08:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
jinx Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 14	hey moonshadow!!! ive seen him dance and he is awesome!!!

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