pow wow

what a funny term
pow wow

there's something deep and humorous in the word itself

but the event is to be held in profound respect

i was in attendance the other day over by mille lacs
i was there for the grand entry
by the side of a great lake with cool breeze
and sunlight and clouds
i watched the mating dance of two eagles high above
699 dancers

my ears are still ringing from the music
2 days later
it is the loudest thing humanly possible
without amplification
and yet it is not at all painful to listen to

the drumming and the singing are important
these are ways of communicating some essential ideas

all these people
anishinabe lakota crow cheyenne blackfoot
and a smattering of other tribes
came together to make a communal statement

i saw a lot of bead work
which is a trademark of the metis
it is french beadwork from the 15th century
taught to the chippewas and cree

in their dancing around in a circle
always the same way
they give honor to their elders to their
mothers to the earth to the creator
to the ancient origin of this form of ritual expression

while one can see that wisdom and serenity
mark the faces of the elders
the older women maintain a rare elegance throughout
and yet the children can dance and the young men
and young women can move gracefully and athletically
and sometimes in surprising dramatic gestures
one would not think posssible

the children are welcomed in
they learn by flowing with the elders
and imitating what they see

the clothing designs are simple colorful elegant
and musical
lots of bells

eagle feather fans are apparent everywhere

smoke is in the air

i was there for 5 hours and it seemed little more than one
i was amazed when it was time to go
i felt like we should stay there all night if we have to
something tells me if i would have decided to just stay there
the people would've accepted me and shown hospitality

a quiet unspoken attitude of welcome pervaded the whole grounds
everything necessary was there

there is a strict no alcohol or drugs policy
but there were plenty of cigarettes
which gave added perfume to the summer air

i remember thinking as i watched the grass dancers
that these people have clung to and forged community
against the most unthinkable odds the greatest devastation
of a culture and way of life that i can think of

that they hold on at all and do it with pride and joy and certainty
is a way that i must think about community

the MC at the microphone announced dances and drummers
and cajoled the audience with the wittiest understated humour

my sense is that a lot of other important business gets worked out
at the pow wow

i carry this sense that christianity
to some extent must own the guilt
of not fully appreciating what is in the pow wow
i'm willing to own the stupidity within myself

i've been to pow wows before
only now have i sat there and looked with the
interest of really wanting to know what is going on

every community should be willing to dance in a circle