Belt Dance

Cecini · 02-12-2006, 10:40 AM

I have recently seen a belt dance and was wondering if I could get more information on it.

The belt dance I saw was an eight people holding four belts and they were weaving them back and forth, making what it appears to be a blossom in the middle. I was hoping to get more of the history and where this dance orginated.

**Kiwehnzii** · 02-12-2006, 11:49 AM

You sure got me wonderin'.

This is the very, first time that I've ever heard of it.

I was going to ask some people, but I didn't want anyone to laugh at me.

**bahnisiain** · 02-12-2006, 03:53 PM

i am interested too!

**LiLT206** · 02-12-2006, 04:35 PM

me three

Privateer6 · 02-12-2006, 09:41 PM

Give me a day or two and i will give you some info i have on it. classes are killing me

**Kiwehnzii** · 02-13-2006, 12:21 AM

I didn't want anyone to think I'm nuts.

Are you willing to take that chance too Judd.

Cecini · 02-13-2006, 12:56 AM

Actually, I asked around for a bit of information.. and it is a Hopi social dance.. but that as much info as I have gotten.. I was hoping to get more on it.

kgirl7 · 02-13-2006, 02:38 AM

Hmm, there's a Belt Dance song sung by the Spirit Sands Singers on Powwows.com radio. Don't know if they are Hopi or not though.

WhoMe · 02-13-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecini

I have recently seen a belt dance and was wondering if I could get more information on it.

The belt dance I saw was an eight people holding four belts and they were weaving them back and forth, making what it appears to be a blossom in the middle. I was hoping to get more of the history and where this dance orginated.

Cencini,

I have seen two different belt dances (well 3 actually)

1. Taos Pueblo Belt Dance - This dance has two male dancers wearing war bonnets tied to long pueblo belts held by two women. With these belts the warrior dance a mock battle while the women hold them back.

2. Navajo Belt Dance - I have witnessed three male dancers and three female dancers weaving a braid while dancing this dance.

and...

3. WhoMe's Belt Dance - I wasn't the best prototype as a kid. I remember a few whippings that make me dance like the dicken's!!!!

**Kiwehnzii** · 02-13-2006, 08:43 PM

No wonder I never heard of it. That's a long way from here. I'll ask one of my Dine buddies here if he can give me a little background.

Privateer6 · 02-13-2006, 11:23 PM

the info I have is for the Tewa Pueblo Belt Dance. "The Pueblo Indians were famous for their weaving and embroidery... The Pueblos wove long belts about four inches wide and six to eight feet in length...many tribes traded for these belts...It's a social dance performed by three mem and three ladies. During the dance the long belts are held at one end by the ladieswhile their male partners wind and unwind them...As the dance progresses the men with the help of the ladies also braid and unbraid the belts. The Beautiful steps and formatiosn, and the winding and braiding of the belts, represents the tribe's skil and knowledge of weaving"

hope it helps.

Cecini · 02-14-2006, 07:53 AM

Thank you for the information. :)

WhoMe · 02-14-2006, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJJudd

the info I have is for the Tewa Pueblo Belt Dance. "The Pueblo Indians were famous for their weaving and embroidery... The Pueblos wove long belts about four inches wide and six to eight feet in length...many tribes traded for these belts...It's a social dance performed by three mem and three ladies. During the dance the long belts are held at one end by the ladieswhile their male partners wind and unwind them...As the dance progresses the men with the help of the ladies also braid and unbraid the belts. The Beautiful steps and formatiosn, and the winding and braiding of the belts, represents the tribe's skil and knowledge of weaving"

hope it helps.

GJ,

Hmmmm? My mother is Tewa. My godchild is Tewa.

Tewa's don't do the belt dance. The Taos (who speak the Tiwa dialect) do this dance.

Privateer6 · 02-14-2006, 08:38 PM

WhoMe,
I got this information from a book I have in my collection. I put it in quotes because that is what the books says and not what I am saying. more than likely the author screwed up. Thanks for the info.
GJJudd

WhoMe · 02-15-2006, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GJJudd

WhoMe,
I got this information from a book I have in my collection. I put it in quotes because that is what the books says and not what I am saying. more than likely the author screwed up. Thanks for the info.
GJJudd

GJ,

A book said that, huh? *L

Well there is actually a reason that the Taos did this belt dance. The Pueblos and Plains tribes were traditional enemies. However the Taos would have a yearly Rondezvous with the Plains tribes. Among these tribes were the Cheyenne, Comanche, Plains Apache and Kiowa.

Oral history tells that the Taos learned the stories of these plain's tribes at their rondezvous and even adopted some of the plains Indian culture. Of particular interest were the staking to the ground with a long sash and vowing not to retreat of the plains military societies.

In the Taos version of this belt dance, the long belts symbolized these plains sashes and were used in the mock battles, during the Taos belt dance.

(You ain't gonna find this information in any book).

The 6 Tewa speaking pueblos:

Tesuque
Nambe
Pojoaque
San Ildefonso
Santa Clara
San Juan

do another dance to mimic the plains tribes. It is called the Comanche dance.

p.s. there are also Tewa who now live in Arizona among the Hopi.

__

Cecini,

I'm not sure of the story behind the Navajo belt dance.

But, there are plenty of Navajo's on Powwows.com, who may take a shot at answering this question.

02-12-2006, 10:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Cecini Singing A Tune Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 7	Belt Dance I have recently seen a belt dance and was wondering if I could get more information on it. The belt dance I saw was an eight people holding four belts and they were weaving them back and forth, making what it appears to be a blossom in the middle. I was hoping to get more of the history and where this dance orginated.

02-12-2006, 03:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
bahnisiain Eastern Blanket Dancer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: CT Posts: 1,800 Blog Entries: 2	i am interested too! __________________ Bahnisiain www.myspace.com/bahnisiain

02-13-2006, 02:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
kgirl7 Hola! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: AZ Posts: 336	Hmm, there's a Belt Dance song sung by the Spirit Sands Singers on Powwows.com radio. Don't know if they are Hopi or not though. __________________ Cariblanguage.org

02-12-2006, 11:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kiwehnzii Oldfart Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,872	You sure got me wonderin'. This is the very, first time that I've ever heard of it. I was going to ask some people, but I didn't want anyone to laugh at me.

02-12-2006, 04:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
LiLT206 206 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,109	me three

02-12-2006, 09:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
Privateer6 Like my new toy? Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cylon occupied North Carolina Posts: 775	Give me a day or two and i will give you some info i have on it. classes are killing me

02-13-2006, 12:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kiwehnzii Oldfart Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,872	I didn't want anyone to think I'm nuts. Are you willing to take that chance too Judd.

02-13-2006, 12:56 AM	#7 (permalink)
Cecini Singing A Tune Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 7	Actually, I asked around for a bit of information.. and it is a Hopi social dance.. but that as much info as I have gotten.. I was hoping to get more on it.

02-13-2006, 08:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
Kiwehnzii Oldfart Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,872	No wonder I never heard of it. That's a long way from here. I'll ask one of my Dine buddies here if he can give me a little background.

02-13-2006, 11:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Privateer6 Like my new toy? Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cylon occupied North Carolina Posts: 775	the info I have is for the Tewa Pueblo Belt Dance. "The Pueblo Indians were famous for their weaving and embroidery... The Pueblos wove long belts about four inches wide and six to eight feet in length...many tribes traded for these belts...It's a social dance performed by three mem and three ladies. During the dance the long belts are held at one end by the ladieswhile their male partners wind and unwind them...As the dance progresses the men with the help of the ladies also braid and unbraid the belts. The Beautiful steps and formatiosn, and the winding and braiding of the belts, represents the tribe's skil and knowledge of weaving" hope it helps.

02-14-2006, 07:53 AM	#12 (permalink)
Cecini Singing A Tune Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 7	Thank you for the information. :)

02-14-2006, 08:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
Privateer6 Like my new toy? Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cylon occupied North Carolina Posts: 775	WhoMe, I got this information from a book I have in my collection. I put it in quotes because that is what the books says and not what I am saying. more than likely the author screwed up. Thanks for the info. GJJudd

02-15-2006, 02:31 PM	#16 (permalink)
Privateer6 Like my new toy? Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cylon occupied North Carolina Posts: 775