WhoMe

This past weekend there was a smoke dance contest in Florida. Some of the winners were not Haudenosaunee.

I predict this will be the beginning of the new evolution of Smoke Dance Contests where other tribes will begin to enter this dance category AND... eventually interpret and express it in different directions (much like the anishinaabe jingle dress).

Once this happens, there is a good possibility that more non Haudenosaunee will begin placing above the Haudenosaunee in competitions where contests may take place far away from Smoke Dance country.

What do you think?

IS this a step in the right direction?

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"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

Coyot_In_The_House

If done in a respectful way......The Smoke dance is significant to the Longhouse peoples and its good to see other tribes adopt it, but again it has to be respected......

A difference between Jingle and Smoke is the style of music and the difference between the Water Drum and the Big Drum.....Hand Drum too.....Just my thought....

eap7

I don't think its necessarily a step in the wrong direction. I wonder what Iroquois people have to say about the dance being done in contests where anyone can enter. Plus you have to remember that we as Indian people have always been sharing dances and songs. The Iroquois even have the Delaware Skin Dance that's named after my tribe. Many East Coast tribes have the same songs, the Alligator dance comes to mind as an example. Here is an interesting chart that shows similar dances between the Delaware, Iroquois, Shawnee, and Caddo tribes as documented by different anthropologists:

Delaware (Lenape) Tribe of Indians: Social Dances of the Lenape and Other North-Eastern Indian Tribes

You can see a lot have shared dances and songs. You also see some of the songs have other tribe's names: Cherokee dance, Kickapoo dance, Osage dance, Quapaw dance- maybe these came from those tribes too. So maybe this sharing in contests isn't anything really new.

Who Me, I am curious what these non-Iroquois winners were wearing? Were they wearing Haudenosaunee outfits and if so, were they generic or based on a certain Six Nation tribe, certain family who dressed them, or what? 4 or 5 years ago, I entered a smoke dance special and wore my plain Delaware day dress (minus the apron) and won 3rd. Some people asked me what I was wearing,but I decided to wear that outfit because that's what we would wear dancing to similar songs. Plus at that time I danced jingle dress and you can't really smoke dance in a jingle dress very well. Plus I would not want to just make an Iroquois outfit and wear it. Right now I am making an outfit for a friend who is Tuscarora, and I had to learn the specific way to make everything. If I made an Iroquois outfit by myself, I might make it wrong or be disrespectful to that tribal style of dress. Anyway that's just my thoughts. Interesting topic.

timmy tiger

Actually Eap, I have a very good friend who is Mohawk from Kanawake, Canada (I'm sure I mis-spelled that, sorry) and I have been there with her. Many times at pow wow's they will do or call for a Smoke Dance special and the MC will invite anyone who would like to participate in this dance to join in. When my friend has been there, she gets all excited and drops everything to watch them dance. I've tried to get her out to do the dance herself, but she says that she only dances at home. She never cared who was dancing or what background they have, just as long as they tried to do the dance in a good way. Now, competition might be a different story with her, I've never asked her about it, but as a special--she loves to watch it. I have to admit--I like it to. But it would kill me to actually do the dance.LOL I'm so out of shape.

In Cherokee ever year they have a dance show. It's about 2 days and they invite different tribes to come in and show their Tribal dances. I got to see this last year, I wanted to get there this year but had another commitment. It's a really nice event and I had a great time. When I was there they had a Mohawk group that came out and showed some of their tribal dances. I made a point to watch this group and they did the Smoke Dance---it was awesome. I came home and called my friend and told her all about it.

blacktail

everyone's got some great oppinions and i agree with them all, but let me put my own little twist on it. now-a-days at powwows there are many different nations at any given powwow...but with each category of dance style everyone looks basically the same, MEANING that there are "basic" items that you must wear to be allowed to dance that style. so, maybe just like the jingle dress you don't HAVE to be haudenosaunee, but you must have the proper regalia. what do you think???

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seneca*one

good question....good topic! i personally don't see a problem with it. like the jingle dress, like you all say, there are alot of iroquoian people who dance it. why should WE make a big stink out of other tribes dancing "our" dances? it's called SOCIAL dancing for a reason! i think the point of how smoke dance was pretty clear a few posts ago....it's evolved into it's own dance, it's own category, it's own style. i think it's awesome seeing other people from other nations dancing "our" dances!!!! keep it up everyone!

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Strugganona

Hmm...i hate it! I think any competition for Smoke should say "Iroquois Contestants Only" by it! *LOL* wouldn't that be something to see? If someone actually printed that?
But I think it's nice. I like to watch folks try to smoke dance. I would love to see my man Smoke dance if he'd actually try it!
But Id have to add that no matter what, the distinct footwork would have to remain

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