Str8N8ive

What is up with the begining of intertribals? Why does everyone just stand around for like the first minute of the song? I heard one time like they are waiting for the head dancer to dance first, but I see this all the time. Even at powwows without head dancers. So whats up??

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hobbs49

Hi Str8N8ive, I was always taught, as you point out, that you wait for the head dancer to start dancing. (In my case the head man dancer.) I was also taught that if for some reason the head dancer is not able to dance, for whatever reason, that you wait for the first half of the first push of the song to complete. Not sure where this teaching came from, but that's been my practice for a long time now. Only time I might break this practice is if the MC announces earlier "everyone get out there and dance." Thus he is basically telling the dancers that the head dancer is unavailable. In the southern tradition, I only apply this waiting rule to the first push of the first song of a set.

When there are no head dancers, well first I'd suggest that the committee appoint someone even if at the last minute to fill this role. But short of that, I'm not sure what people might be waiting for, unless as I suggested before they are waiting for the first part of the first song to complete. Then again, maybe everyone is just shy!?! Naawwww, that's not it.

WocusWoman

You are supposed to wait for the head dancer. If there are non, then I personally wait to enter and will only start dancing when and after the first lead is sung and the rest of the drum group starts in. Otherwise, I would like to point out, that many people are just plain shy about being the first or only person in the circle. Of course I'am not, but when I was younger I was like that.

Zeke

When I have been Head Dancer, and needed to run to the facilties or such, I always asked another dancer to "take over" for me to keep such things from happening. (i.e., someone else is appointed to lead dancers out nto the arena).

Even as Head Dancer, I will admit to feeling odd -- at times -- going first. It is just so ingrained to wait for the head guy, that you have to remind yourself that it is YOU. :)

Eagle Plumes

Yeah ive done that as well , I was like duhh.

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Str8N8ive

Ok, thanks for the input. It was just something I've always noticed and wondered about. I think it's just a case of "bucky indian" syndrome...lol. I don't know how many people wanna be jamming out and just getting down n dirty while everyone is just standing around.

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Kakeeya

In my neck of the woods... or plateau, we don't have head dancers as all dancers are equal. We do however have whipmen and whipwomen, that take care of the floor and let everyone know when its time to dance.

crazywolf

I have had to do this as well, but I ususally ask someone before the pow wow even starts, I find someone that will be available for the whole pow wow to act as my stand in, and then I usually also gift them something during my giveaway, even if I do not call them in. You know, head dancers have to eat, go to the johnny and socialize like everyone else, and there are other duties as well, just besides dancing, that might take you away from the circle. Its always good to have a stand in.

As far as being shy, well shy I am not. I have said it before and will say it again, pow wows in Florida are only organized and run "OK". I have been to my fair share without head staff, and those with head staff that did not know what to do. Some pow wows do not announce their head dancers, and the rest of us are left out trying to figure out who to even watch for. One time at a pow wow, the drum was actually going into their third pushup, no one was in the "circle" (was square at this pow wow) and the head dancer was over by the food shack stuffing his face. I got tired of waiting and went out and danced, and the other men dancers followed me out. A woman finally got out there when I got halfway around, and then the women started dancing. Yeah I got scolded by the chief about that, then I scolded right about about having head staff that did not know their duties.

You know, its one thing to be part of some kind of organization, state recognized tribe, or family that wants to have a pow wow, and hire committee and drums etc. to come in to someplace and put a show on. I do see some of these people "go" to other pow wows and "learn". And then I see those that don't. And then there are those that invent their own traditions, because originally they had no pow wow. The more respectable ones call them festivals, and yes they do have their own itenerary.

I was not aware of a tradition where you could come in after half of the first pushup of the first song on a head dancer no show. See I learn something from time to time. Most of the pow wows I go to out of state (the real ones up north and out west) do not usually have head dancers that leave their fellows hanging outside.

Derek