Niwiwan2005

The youth on my drum asked a good question: Why is the "retreat of colors" different from pow-wow to pow-wow within the great lakes region? To clarify his question, let me describe the retreat from a recent pow-wow in OHIO.

Host drum sang 2 push-ups of a flag song, and then sang a retreat song for the veterans to carry the colors out for the evening. The sun was setting, but the pow-wow was slated to go for 2 -3 more hours. What happened next was that all the dancers followed the vet's out of the dance arena and shook their hands. No more continued dancing around the circle! Back in Wisconsin, The veterans leave and the dancers continue the circle with their dancing-to follow the vets out constitutes ending the pow-wow? Please, anyone who cares to, help explain retreat customs from your area.

Thank-you!

Wojapi4Me

What you witnessed was the "grand exit". LOL I agree with you, it doesn't make any sense.

Mostly what I've seen in real Indian Country is that a flag song will be sung while the flag is hoisted down or taken out of its stand (whichever the case may be). That may be the only song sung. I've seen the flag song sung once time through or up to as many as eight times through as they were requested to sing it while the vets folded the flags to be put up for the night. Sometimes a veterans song will be sung afterwards, but the dancing is still in the arena. No one leaves because the pow wow doesn't end when the flag is taken out. It just means the flag is taken out.

There are many ways of doing this and many variations on the way I described above. I wouldn't say one is right and one is wrong, just differences. I've even seen differences at the same pow wow from day to day.

Personally, I like a flag song sung and leave it at that. Take care of it and then get on with the pow wow.

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marcotah

At most of the powwows that I have been to including Ohio,the Flag Song is sung usually twice and the Vets take out the colors and the dancers stay in the circle. Ohio has some good powwows where the committee has a clue of what they are doing. However some of Ohio's powwows are pretty rugged. Since there are no federally or state recognized tribes in the state you are wasting your time going to "shawnee","cherokee" powwows in this state. Most of their powwow know-how seems to come from John Wayne movies or personal nightmares.

Mr Oakley

hahaha

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shorty

my uncle carries our family staff and i have noticed that all powwows tend to differ from state to state and not only that but sometimes it depends on how the arena director wants things done or ive even seen it get all out of loop when it comes to what time it is lol every know n then they have to hurry caz they have ran out of time the colors r to be retired before the sun goes down