ToTGrassDancer

So I'm a grass dancer and I've murmers of a bustle for grass dancing, has anyone seen this? If so what did it look like and do you have pictures you could send me or post?

Thank you for any information you have and your time.

Ego-hut-key

No feathers, except your Roach, were Grass dnacers we dont need feathers to make are dance look good, no bustles man,
I hope that helped

billyjoejimbob

back in the day there were messy type bustles. there is a good example in the Museum in Browning Montana.

Ill see if i cant drag the photos out from my trip in 1995.

not used now tho, it was the original grass dancers that it all started with.

now that i thnk about it, the pics are in the gallery already.

if these dont work, they are named GrassDancer1.jpg (2&3) try searching the gallery.

http://www.powwows.com/galleries/sho...513&perpage=90

http://www.powwows.com/galleries/sho...what=allfields

http://www.powwows.com/galleries/sho...what=allfields

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gourdmaker123

Dude I dont know what you were thinking at the time but that's no grass dancer bustle. As per in our tribal history records its shows that those perticular pictures you posted as grass dancers are in fact not grass dancers but early pictures of chicken dancers. Grass dancers of past and current never have worn bustles with their outfits only chicken dancers, traditional dancers and fancy dancers have.

billyjoejimbob

The museum on the Blackfoot Rez has it displayed as GRASS DANCER. At least back in 1995. If it was a museum somewhere else I would question it, but the museum if on the rez next to the powwow grounds, if it was wrong i would figure SOMEONE would have said something.

There is a museum near me that had a cradleboard displayed as Sioux/Crow, it was actually Cheyenne. They told me that when an item is given to a museum they have to display it as what the person who donated it says it is. (???!!!???!!!) They also had a beaded womans yoke displayed sideways with neck split as the shoulder. Their reasoning with THAT one was that it displayed the beadwork better. I asked them why they would knowingly display things wrongly which in turn gives people the wrong impression of the art and culture. They didnt reply.

__________________
There are 2 types of people in the world...
Really stupid people who think they are smart
and
Really smart people who think they are smart.

crazytraddancer

Look that dance is early traditional dance, and any dumb ntrad dancer knows that way back what is now called Northern trad was called the grass dance because the dancers would put bunches of grass in their belts to represent scalps. Then in the 1920s some dancers lost the bustle and started putting long ribbon in their outfits, this evolved into the grass dance of today. No modern grass dancers wear bustles. Ego-hut-key is right. Only roach feathers.

Kiwehnzii

Never say never.

Unless.................... you are absolutely, without a doubt.... positive.

sookout sh'nob

I do. I know three other guys that do to.

Folks, there are TONS of pictures (and not just on the internet) and historical records (by both native and non-native people) of people reported to be grass dancers (and looking very much to be so) where the guy is either wearing a bustle or holding it. Ditto Omaha dancers.

While it may not be how they did it in your area, the record does indicate that bustles were worn in conjunction with the grass dance in different areas across the plains. Perhaps they were no an original part of the dance and the bustles were an influence from dog soldier and warrior societies across the plains - I don't know.

I'll be back late r- I gota go make sugar now - but by all means discuss.

Ego-hut-key

Now I eprsonally have never seen a Grass Dancer today where a bustle, Who is to say that there isnt, I am not sure if it is a Family thing or if you have to have permission. My best bet is to just stick with the Grass dance outfit that everyone else wheres, Grass Dance Trends have changed over the years and are still changing, who knows maybe years down the trail, Grass Dancers will start wearing bustles, hey sookout sh'nob, Im kind of curious of what these grass dancers that wear bustles look like, maybe you could send some pictures. thanks. oh yea, and my first post on this thread was just some grass dancer humor, i hope that did not offend anyone.

sookout sh'nob

I have one that is made out of fox tails and another out of goose feathers. I know a guy that has a coyote tail bustle and the other two guys have bustles that are flat and grouped tightly on a belt- kinda like a goose tail. They're all fairly small bustles.

As a side note, I was talking to my co-worker about my daughter wanting fancy dance bustles and she (my co-worker) used to wear a grass dance outfit in the 70s when she hoop danced - apparently it was fairly common around this area (MN, WI) at the time.

WhoMe

There is a ceremonial aspect to the grass dance where they DO indeed wear bustles!


(But ceremony should not be discussed on the internet.)

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"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

Ego-hut-key

Do you have to have Permission in order to wear A grass Dance Bustle, or is it a family thing, or does your tribe do that, sorry if these ?'s offend you im just curious,

sookout sh'nob

Permissions are nice, family history is great... no matter why you wear one, be prepared to give lengthy explanations to concerned audience members or people who are just curious about what exactly you are doing and why you have a bustle (even though you are clearly a grass dancer).

For example, I'm exempt from a lot of questioning in my home area because of who I'm related too and my place in my community. However, when I leave home - I'm generally on my own and have to be able to communicate precisely and clearly what i'm up to, who i am, and why i am doing what I'm doing.

Fortunately, I moved to Minneapolis and only a handful of people know what the hell is going on, nevermind where it comes from and why someone might be doing it (or shouldn't be). Has me curious if other urban areas are the same way.

If this sounds daunting - exhibition and enter with the chicken dancers and no one will say a thing - lmao

keeler

"GrassDance" bustles are actualy a special bustle used as part of the "grass Dance" gathering. At the end of winter' when the tribe returned to the spring/Summer village they had a celebration/ Gathering. This was to celebrate: the new season, the new grass, the return of game, and being runited with neighbors after a long winter. The bustles were a small "mess" style, and was designed so it wouldn't get