Smokin' Ace

Unfortunately, Nik, you're right. Virginia still does have a few good pow-wow's, but it seems the ones in the east are bombarded by julios and johnsons. I mean bad. I've been to several where I didn't know a soul, but they knew me!! It's just strange.

There were so many women traditional dancers at a pow-wow in Virginia Beach several years ago, that we just gave them all a name:
The Big-Butt-Calico-Wearing-Long-Braid-Princess Clan. We told one of them that we had named her, told her the name, and she said, "Thank you, I am honored." Whatever.


I'm sure you see much more of this now than I, and for that, I am the lucky one!!

Good day!!

kahkakew

Smokin & Nik:

You are right, makin your own whistle is as foolish and as stupid as white people dancing and singing, all it does is ask for trouble and make a mockery of INDIAN tradition.

Kahkakew

bluewolf

kahkakew, when you would MC, and a Dancer would whistle the drum, would you make that Dancer come forward to explain himself? I usually go to Tradish powwows, and there are only a few whistle men, and a couple fan men, the way I see it, if a song is good, and one must know the song, and one has impeccable character, isn't that all you need to have? I've danced in many powwows, and when I hear that whistle, I get chills, and when an especially good song comes on, and your on the song, everyone pretty much knows when the whistle and fan men will come, because they keep an eye out on 'em.... sorry for this post, it's late, I'm tired, and I just had to post this. I'm just simply asking, because you seem to know the protocol....


ps,
I didn't know you contested.....

nik harvey

hold on there bro, you are getting into things that have nothing to do with this discussion,kahkakew, we don't need to get into race. i am more white than native, and still know what i am doing, and still dance with all my heart, so lets not get off the discussion in that direction please.

and smokin ace, if you don't mind, i was wondering who you were, you have been to va, beach, well i grew up there, maybe we know eachother? if you would rather not say, no probleme i understand

Smokin' Ace

Actually, I used to travel to almost every pow-wow in Va for different reasons, sometimes scouting, some times dancing, sometimes travelling with different drum groups and sometimes just to go. But I don't go to as many as I used to in Virginia. Still have many, many, many friends and relatives in Virginia that pow-wow heavily.

Take care, Nik. Have a good one!!

Oh, I don't think I know you. May have seen you before. Take care.

kahkakew

Sepekhaw Mahekun (Blue Wolf)

The protocol I follow around whixtles and fans is what I was given by my late father and is common to prairie pow-wows. Whether it is a fan or whistle, the dancers are told they have to approach either the arena director or headman or both to determine if it is an appropriate request to approach a drum.
It is the norm at home that after a whistel or fan, the dancer does not say anything, if anyone says anything itis the ones who made the request of the dancer and it is almost always very short and to the point.
Fans and whistles are rare and normally there is no talking after, only the MC will acknowledge the dancer who has met the protocol requirements.
I have MC'd here in BC and the protocol is not folowed by the majority of dancers even when they are told repeatedly, in most cases at certain pow-wows the committee informs dancers and singers that they do not want any whistles or fans. When a dancer ignores this request or does not follow the protocol as instructed, I as a MC do not allow them to speak after.
This has resulte din dancers being upset but I always get the OK from ther commmittee and let them deal with the person who would not listen to instruction.
At home such a dancer would be made to put up a giveaway on the spot and possibly told to leave, they would be told to leave if they refused the giveaway or made a big fuss questioning the committee.
I have seen this in the past. Unfortunately, whistles and fans are abused here on a regular basis and I do not partake even though I am often asked and presented Tobacco. I often take these requests into ceremony and explain this to the person who has made the request.

Kahkakew

bluewolf

Makes sense to me, thank you for your wisdom. As far as abuse by the fan/whistle men, what do you think constitutes abuse?
Around my way, there is one dancer who pretty much fans a drum at least once every session, but no-one seems to mind because of (without going into much detail, as someone may recognize who I am talking about) this dancer is a Vietnam Vet, not that I'm complaining, as I respect this person, but just wanted to get your opinion....

kahkakew

There are many ways I think that fans and whistles are abused, around B.C. I witness many dancers in and out of regalia(?) fanning/whistling drums every other song, it gets ridiculous, then when they speak afterwards, they preach about nothing, thye just love to hear their own voice and blow their horn. Another issue is when the reason for blowing the whistle or fanning the drum is lame or inappropriate. It should be of a serious nature at the least and it can be done without the speeches.
The pow-wow whistle is intended to pick up pow-wows and to salute a good song, thye are rare because everyone wants to be recognized with the bone whistle, either eagle or blue heron.
There are some dancers here who will blow the whistle ten to fiften times a weekend and then stutter on about nothing. Finally it is very common to see the same guys every weekend all go approach a drum, sometimes their own, one after the other, sometimes as many as six fans or whistles or combination of them...thats 24 more push ups for a drum who just sang four for the song...crazy.
And then after all that theses dancers give them just tobacco, no money and then not much later on they start their frieght train all over agian on another drum..myself when this happens I either dance way in the back or continue to dance around or I sit down.
These types of shaninigans are called on at home, but here no one says anything for many reasons, as a result I rarely go to these small tradish and competition pow-wows, especially if they are run by any of these dancers/singers who make a mockery of these sacred items.

Kahkakew