Bronco Man

A chief is not appointed by a council of elders they are voted into office like the President. The only Chief I would know of would be from Qualla Boundry of from Tahlequah, OK. Are you all involved with a branch of the Eastern Band, Or from the Western Band? I wasn't aware of any other groups?
This is just an Arbitrary title you have given to your selves to make you sound important. Assigning yourself / themselves a chief is bad news, not good, only suggest that one is a wannabe or white and is trying to fit in, It is disrespectful to take on a title as such or even use a famous Native Americans Name as one of your Nics or go by that.
This hurts the crediabilty of the true "chiefs" out there We all have our proper place, and that by calling your self Chief is not one of them, Who are the Elders, I bet from what I have read about the drum question and you all not wanting to pay them what they want and you said you were new to the pow wows have you ever put on one? this takes a lot of money you should have before you even think of it, and to get your money from this one to put on next one sounds like a lot of white people trying to get on the band wagon and make some money for themself. . One should never force themselves into a place not proper for them, and I don't think you doing pow wow is the right place for a lot of wannabes. This sounds like we want the best Drum, Maybe Mystic River or even Black Lodge and say come and we will give you fry Bread. and pay nothing, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, no money no drum, little money well there you go Little Drum.

Sounds like a group I have heard of from the hill state of well I will not mention a state. But have heard word of this deal going on. Lot of back stabbing around there.

Sorry if that stepped on any toes but thats my feelings and we all have our voice there.

Bronco

hawkwind

Well I will now weigh in with what I know is true.Being an Elder and not just in age;Ive followed this entire thing and read every email that was sent between Morningrain and her(sic)chief husband and the drum group involved.
The contract called for 600.00 dollars,a 50/50 each day and a blanket dance each day.The contract was signed by both parties(I have a copy of it)and an email from the committee acknowledging that they had a copy of the signed contract.What hasnt been said is the fact that the sound for this p/w was going to be with the drum group and wasnt going to cost them a dime.Plus nothing else was asked for after the contract was signed.
The only thing that would have been taken as bad-mouthing was the fact that the drum keeper was going to post here about how this group was doing business;there were no personal attacks on anyone on the drum group but from the(sic)chief.
I know many things about this group of people from hill county and always wonder where they get the idea that chiefs appoint themselves chief,guess they are trying to make themselves something they aren't.
Hope this makes this matter a little clearer to the people that have asked questions that were not answered by Morningrain.

wind-in-hair

I have been following along and listening because of my grand daughter.
I have looked into the problem you speak of. The drum in question is a very honorable drum in the area. Their words are chosen wisely and they keep to their word. I am a drummer for another drum in the area and I can tell you that the drums do talk to each other. This drum has spoken very highly of you and your powwow and have invited many dancers to come. They walk with much honor and have a large following of dancers. I have seen and heard this drum at many powwows. They always please the dancers and watching crowd. They have spent much time with the elders and have learned to drum in the old ways. They also keep many old songs and pass them along in the right way. It is good to have them at your powwow. I have seen them take blanket money that is owed them and donate it back to the powwow. I have also seen them take their contract money and donate a portion back except for expenses.

In the days when I was young the only contract was our word. Our word was and still should be our bond. You chose to do things in the way of the white man on paper. You now must honor your words on paper. It is not our way. I would do the honorable thing by sending a letter to cancle the white contract along with a check for full payment and say nothing more of this matter.

Just by your actions here you have hurt this drum because both whites and our people have access to these opened letters.

It doesnt take much to know who you are talking about. Most dancers and drums use this website and watch what goes on. Then they decide where to go and spend their money. By doing what you have done here you may have distroyed your own powwow in the process of hurting this drum.

Joe's Dad

So who is white and who is ndn here between the parties in question? I think we should post pictures and let the council decide.













OK... who want to be on the council? KK, maybe?

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sokoki_wolf

i nominate KK lol

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TRUDELL FOR PRESIDENT
(and no,this isnt zeek)

standingbear67

Wow!I got informed of this thread a few hours ago by one of my elders,so I think its a good time to set the record streight about all of this.First let me say that I am Jim Standingbear and I am also the lead singer for the drum that is mentioned here on this thread.Drumming and danceing is not something that is new to me,I have been danceing at powwows for over 30 years and ive drummed the last 6 years of that.
so to set things streight....first...Shirley the one who started this thread is right about one thing,we did change our demans as she puts it.The first time we spoke she wanted us to drum as a guest drum for blanket money,we told her then that we could not make any promises as a guest drum if a host spot came up.so we were up front with her from the start.
the second time we spoke she asked us what the price was to be a host drum..at that time we told her the price was 1,200 plus blanket money and 50/50s a standard host drum requirments for this area but with that she also got our production company who has the best sound one the woodlands trail do the the sound for them.
the third time we spoke she asked if we would concider hosing it for a lower price that they had limited funds.so i spoke to the other drummers and agreed to do her powwow for half of what we told her from the start and still offered the same as before at that time she agreed to our terms and sent a contract,she had to have this contract for her 501c3 so she pushed the issue untill we singed it.
we recieved the contract on jan 13 2006 i believe which did not include the 50/50s so at that time any only that time did we asked to revise it too include the 50/50s.that turned into a big issure with them and has exploded into what you now see.I was checking some things on line one night a few weeks ago and so happen to run across the website for this powwow and we were taken off as host drum and another drum was listed,at that time I contacted them with the question of what was going on and their reply was that we found a drum that will host for just blanket money so we hope you understand and can find another powwow for that weekend.There is alot more but im sure you can figure it out for yourselves what is going on.....I do know this,I am sick and tired of native people getting screwed by the ones who think they can make a dollar off our traditions and beliefs!
Miigwetch to the ones who have shown us support and i apoligize to any elders that all of this has offened.peace and light to you all.

Joe's Dad

Good words.

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badmaninc

Dude shouldn't be so shy next time. Shoulda got popcorn for this one.

sokoki_wolf

lol we could make a small fortune on popcorn alone lately

__________________

TRUDELL FOR PRESIDENT
(and no,this isnt zeek)

kiowakat

LMAO joes dad do we get toss the non deemed out????.....hehehehehe

Bandit

Gots to have one of them bags of popcorn. Where the popcorn stand? lol

Business 101--Try to sell a product at a profit, no matter who gets screwed.

Indian Business 101 --Don't be the product, hell, it's been going on 500 years too long.


Sorry if I had spoken out of turn...

Kansasfrybread

This Thread is very troublesome!
Don't we have enough problems without a wannabe group popping up and trying to make things worse?

I have traveled for many years across the Country, attending powwows. I grew up in the circle. I have seen non indians put on a powwow that was respectable and I have seen indians put on powwows that are downright shameful!

The road is both ways. But this takes the cake.

I like many other people check the powwow calendar here on powwows.com in order to see what powwows are happening.
I like many others travel to dance and to visit old friends, family and make new friends. Sometimes we go to support a drum that we know. I have done this all my life.

Of the non indian sponsored powwows that I have gone to, there has been mutual respect. (granted they are far and few between) But no one at these powwows ever called themselves Chief!
How disrespectful can one be? Well I think this says it loud and clear. And then to add insult to injury, post that it is a Comanche man that calls himself Chief. Hmmmm.
I wonder if John Clark has heard of this? What about all the other Comanche people? hmmmmm bet they didn't know that they had a new chief.

This reminds me of another group of people with self appointed Chiefs, Sub Chiefs and Medicine people.
No respect!!!!

I won't post the name of the group here as that is not what I am here to say (however if you have a need to know, just ask me in private and I will tell you).

I grew up doing things in the traditional way, but with todays way of life, true things change but not our ways!

The drum is the heart beat of the people! With this drum we dance, sing, pray, honor, bring new life in, tell stories, send a relative walking on in strength, and so much more.
To disrespect a drum is to disrespect our ancestors and our people. It is also a disrespect to the creator!!!!

This drum has been attacked by those with a bad heart!
This drum needs protected by the people.

The people who are responsible need to make things right!!!
They are the ones who brought it out into the public (becareful of bringing out your dirty laundry in public, you may not like the comments).

I plan on doing some research to see if I can find this drum and gift them and their family. If I can't I will gift a drum in their honor! My family will make a song for this drum.

Although my family had nothing to do with this situation, we have agreed that we want to do this to help heal the drum and the family that supports the drum.

If the attacked drum were to be asked (in the correct way) to make good the contract. Then I should think that the people who attacked the drum would make public an apology and make things right with the drum. That is if the drum accepted the request to follow through on the contract.
Since there has obviously been libel as well as slander against this drum, then threre would be some serious legal ground for a lawsuit. However reading what Standingbear wrote, I don't see this drum as the type that would take it to court unless pushed beyond. It seems that this drum is trying to be honest and good hearted.

I look forward to hearing that things were taken care of in the proper way and that this drum has the support of the people. We as a people must stand up and take care of each other (no one else will). United we are strong like the forest of lodgepoles, where when only one stands it bends and breaks in the storm.

I look forward to attending a powwow that this drum sings at and shaking their hands (heck I may even make some frybread for them).

Oh by the way, this morning rain and her chief should also apologize to the Comanche, and the other people that they have wronged, along with those of their group who they have hurt with what she has said. With the words that she used and the way that she did it, I will be very surprised if the powwow even happens after this.

(oh well do do happens enit!)

WocusWoman

How much ya' want for the popcorn? I'll pay you 100 points.

Kansasfrybread

I want to clarify something.
I was in no way saying that John Clark was or is a Chief.
He is however a very respected Comanche Elder.

Sorry for any confusion.



(Gosh I just got so flustered, aaaayyyyyyeeeeee, it happens to the best of us, enit?)

sokoki_wolf