Head dancers

Jo-Jo · 07-20-2004, 10:04 PM

What are your thoughts on white head dancers? I've seen a few, they start small and unintrusive then all the sudden they claim a tribe and are at every powwow. I think it's disrespectful even if their regalia and steps are perfect. :reallymad

River Spirit · 07-20-2004, 10:12 PM

So, did you card them?

saponi · 07-20-2004, 10:41 PM

Who asked them? The head staff????

**Kiwehnzii** · 07-21-2004, 02:21 AM

If there are non-native head dancers, it's the committees problem. Personally, I woulda left and never went back. The committee is the one with a problem.

Coyot_In_The_House · 07-21-2004, 03:29 AM

How dare that Committee choose a Wasicu over us.....OHEE!

I know call up Eddie D. and Protest! That's it...hoka!

Lighten up people.....No..No pun intended....

**WocusWoman** · 07-21-2004, 06:15 AM

I agree with Spirit of Seattle; how do you know their "white"? There's plenty of native people running around that look white to me. A couple years ago; a navajo lady I was talking to, told me that another woman we both knew must have too much "Custer" in her, that's why she was rude to us. That's the first time I ever heard that one.

River Spirit · 07-21-2004, 02:22 PM

:rofl2: How funny! I've never heard that expression either... Bad enough that my brother lives on a street in Spokane called 'SOUTH CUSTER'. He will NEVER live that down...

To borrow an expression of a friend of mine, he says California, Oregon and Washington are full of 'White Indians' and he's not meaning "wannabe's" when he says that, just that with assimilation some of us are 'Whiter' than others.......

**Kakeeya** · 07-21-2004, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spirit of Seattle

To borrow an expression of a friend of mine, he says California, Oregon and Washington are full of 'White Indians' and he's not meaning "wannabe's" when he says that, just that with assimilation some of us are 'Whiter' than others.......

I disagree. Theres plenty of dark Natives around here on my rez lots of us are full bloods, but there are Natives on other rez's that are barely 1/2 or below. Those are the ones that look white, yes their ancestors assimilated and fell in love with a white person, hear it a lot on here.

River Spirit · 07-21-2004, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kakeeya

I disagree. Theres plenty of dark Natives around here on my rez lots of us are full bloods, but there are Natives on other rez's that are barely 1/2 or below. Those are the ones that look white, yes their ancestors assimilated and fell in love with a white person, hear it a lot on here.

It may have been his expression, but having lived in Oregon and CaliforniaI do know about how mixed the tribes are. I've been going to pow-wows up there for several years and there are people of all quantums that are much lighter. That's just the way it is.

**Kakeeya** · 07-21-2004, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spirit of Seattle

It may have been his expression, but having lived in Oregon and CaliforniaI do know about how mixed the tribes are. I've been going to pow-wows up there for several years and there are people of all quantums that are much lighter. That's just the way it is.

I won't take up for the other rez's but I know here at Warm Springs, we still have a lot of Natives that look like natives. We're one of the only tribes in Oregon (besides Umatilla) that still has a firm strong grasp of our Native ways and culture.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS!!

River Spirit · 07-21-2004, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kakeeya

I won't take up for the other rez's but I know here at Warm Springs, we still have a lot of Natives that look like natives. We're one of the only tribes in Oregon (besides Umatilla) that still has a firm strong grasp of our Native ways and culture.
AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS!!

You know, I wasn't making negative statements about how NDN anybody was; we were talking about complexion and making the assumption that someone 'light' wasn't NDN, so relax.

**Kakeeya** · 07-21-2004, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spirit of Seattle

You know, I wasn't making negative statements about how NDN anybody was; we were talking about complexion and making the assumption that someone 'light' wasn't NDN, so relax.

You did come across as making a negative blanket statement. One of those states has my Nation in it so of course I'm gonna take up for us. I'm sure anyone from Yakama and the other tribes in Washington would get offended by your statements too.

I don't think any of us here that are full bloods look white.

Singing Eagle · 07-21-2004, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kakeeya

I don't think any of us here that are full bloods look white.

Tru Dat!

**WocusWoman** · 07-21-2004, 04:38 PM

Cool, Kakeeya I agree with you that that could be conceived as a negative blanket statement too. As I grew up down by Chiloquin; and part Springer myself, and have 2 first cousins that live and grew up in Warmsprings. I also see that alot of natives off of those reservations are more mixed and somewhat losing their identity. I grew up there; and my granny used to drag us to all those places you mentioned, and yes for the most part most everyone was dark skinned. I for one noticed that much of the light skinned people, that claim native blood, tend to be from the East Coast, with the exception of a very few. I just wanted to get across that I've met people who are very light skinned; who know all the right ways. Just as a blanket statement about assuming Oregon and Washington is full of light skinned natives is down right absurd to you and I. It's just as absurd to presume some head-dancer that looks white; "is" white. Spirit of Seattle; I'm curious as to what powwows you and/or your friend have attended, because there is a big difference between gatherings on and off the reservations.

River Spirit · 07-21-2004, 05:27 PM

The original statement was about 'white' colored folks being head dancers and how dare they.
I responded 'did you card them'?

07-20-2004, 10:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jo-Jo Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	Head dancers What are your thoughts on white head dancers? I've seen a few, they start small and unintrusive then all the sudden they claim a tribe and are at every powwow. I think it's disrespectful even if their regalia and steps are perfect. :reallymad

07-20-2004, 10:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
River Spirit Senior Dancer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sacramento CA on the American River Posts: 800	So, did you card them? __________________ "The Cleveland Indians are going to change their name. They don't want to be known as a team that perpetuates racial stereotypes. From now on they're just going to be called the Indians." - Native Comedian Vaughn Eaglebear, Colville/Lakota

07-20-2004, 10:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
saponi Junior Dancer Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 192	Who asked them? The head staff???? __________________ ~~Saponi~~

07-21-2004, 03:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Coyot_In_The_House uhvdlv Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,980	Off With Their Heads! How dare that Committee choose a Wasicu over us.....OHEE! I know call up Eddie D. and Protest! That's it...hoka! Lighten up people.....No..No pun intended....

07-21-2004, 02:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
River Spirit Senior Dancer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sacramento CA on the American River Posts: 800	:rofl2: How funny! I've never heard that expression either... Bad enough that my brother lives on a street in Spokane called 'SOUTH CUSTER'. He will NEVER live that down... To borrow an expression of a friend of mine, he says California, Oregon and Washington are full of 'White Indians' and he's not meaning "wannabe's" when he says that, just that with assimilation some of us are 'Whiter' than others....... __________________ "The Cleveland Indians are going to change their name. They don't want to be known as a team that perpetuates racial stereotypes. From now on they're just going to be called the Indians." - Native Comedian Vaughn Eaglebear, Colville/Lakota

07-21-2004, 02:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
Kiwehnzii Oldfart Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,872	If there are non-native head dancers, it's the committees problem. Personally, I woulda left and never went back. The committee is the one with a problem.

07-21-2004, 06:15 AM	#6 (permalink)
WocusWoman N8tiffUmatillaMAMA Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Interior Alaska Posts: 2,740	I agree with Spirit of Seattle; how do you know their "white"? There's plenty of native people running around that look white to me. A couple years ago; a navajo lady I was talking to, told me that another woman we both knew must have too much "Custer" in her, that's why she was rude to us. That's the first time I ever heard that one.

07-21-2004, 04:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
WocusWoman N8tiffUmatillaMAMA Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Interior Alaska Posts: 2,740	Cool, Kakeeya I agree with you that that could be conceived as a negative blanket statement too. As I grew up down by Chiloquin; and part Springer myself, and have 2 first cousins that live and grew up in Warmsprings. I also see that alot of natives off of those reservations are more mixed and somewhat losing their identity. I grew up there; and my granny used to drag us to all those places you mentioned, and yes for the most part most everyone was dark skinned. I for one noticed that much of the light skinned people, that claim native blood, tend to be from the East Coast, with the exception of a very few. I just wanted to get across that I've met people who are very light skinned; who know all the right ways. Just as a blanket statement about assuming Oregon and Washington is full of light skinned natives is down right absurd to you and I. It's just as absurd to presume some head-dancer that looks white; "is" white. Spirit of Seattle; I'm curious as to what powwows you and/or your friend have attended, because there is a big difference between gatherings on and off the reservations.

07-21-2004, 05:27 PM	#15 (permalink)
River Spirit Senior Dancer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sacramento CA on the American River Posts: 800	The original statement was about 'white' colored folks being head dancers and how dare they. I responded 'did you card them'?