bvr_wmn

I've seen people carry any variety of items: war club, fan, staff, children(lol). Or you can pretend to be carrying items, if you've ever seen Mr. Anderson dance. lmao. No you don't have to be haudenosaunee to dance. I have never seen anyone wear a roach for smoke, but you could start something new. Haudenosaunee wear gustowah(feather headdress). Since smoke dancing is not really "traditional", per say, the gustowah is not essential.

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onodowa'ga:' gal

Blackbear

Wear whatever you dance in.. a roach is fine
it's a contest song.. you don't have to be haudenosaunee
I've only ever seen our guys and gals carrying fans, horn rattles and the occasional club.

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Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

nativeproud

wado again, Bvr Wmn said that any steps are fine. I just got a private massage from someone who says there are certain arm and leg movements that have to be followed. who is right?

bvr_wmn

AGAIN, SMOKE DANCING IS A CONTEST DANCE ONLY!!!!

There is no arm/leg movement you have to follow.

Yes, the slow style smoke dance is like old style WASASE'. For WASASE', you would would imitate old war movements. But for smoke dance you don't have to!!!!
Do whatever you think looks good.

For, women the only time we have arm/leg movements is for ceremonial esganye. then there is pounding corn, rocking the baby, picking berries, etc.
But again not for smoke dancing.

Everyone needs to remember this is a CONTEST DANCE.
We haudenosaunee do not do this ceremonially at our longhouse. Nor do we do it at our socials. It is purely for SHOW.

So go out and show us your best moves.

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onodowa'ga:' gal

trob226

OK, I'll admit, I'm a closet smoke dancer, only 1/16th Mohawk, white and blue-eyed, so I don't feel right in the circle. But this dance is such darned good exercise, I've put it in my morning routine, and it makes me feel so good!

Blackbear

Hey Bvr... I asked back home about women singing smoke dance songs for the dancers and was told that there was nothing that they recall about it being taboo... what do you know about it?

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Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

nativeproud

thank you for clearing that up for me, it is greatly appreciated.

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"There is no such thing as 'part Cherokee.' Either you're Cherokee or you're not. It isn't the quantity of Cherokee blood in your veins that is important, but the quality of it...your pride in it. I have seen full-bloods who have virtually no idea of the great legacy entrusted to their care. Yet, I have seen people with as little as 1/500th blood quantum who inspire the spirits of their ancestors because they make being Cherokee a proud part of a their everyday life."

-Jim Pell, Principal Chief of the North Alabama Cherokee

bvr_wmn

Traditionally, women are not suppose to sing. There are few dances that women sing "back-up" for.

As far as singing smoke, I've seen it sung by woman. I know that I've been at a pw where a girl sang smoke and the Sr. male smoke dancer was offended(he is a traditional elder). So I guess just do what you think is right.

I know I sing alot and enjoy singing. But, I was brought up with the no singing thing. So i personally would not sing. Just in the car and under my canopy at the pws. lol. I don't stray too far from my traditional values, even though it is competition stuff. But i don't go around telling people what they should do, either.

if you can sing and want to, go ahead.
I don't know if that answered your question.

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onodowa'ga:' gal

indn_grl

Like what was previously stated there are not set movements that you have to abide by. The majority of the time it is all improv but there are some classic moves. I think it's good to try to incorporate them but it's not necessary.

The important thing is to have fun.

nativeproud

thank you very much:)

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"There is no such thing as 'part Cherokee.' Either you're Cherokee or you're not. It isn't the quantity of Cherokee blood in your veins that is important, but the quality of it...your pride in it. I have seen full-bloods who have virtually no idea of the great legacy entrusted to their care. Yet, I have seen people with as little as 1/500th blood quantum who inspire the spirits of their ancestors because they make being Cherokee a proud part of a their everyday life."

-Jim Pell, Principal Chief of the North Alabama Cherokee