Public Powwows?

By: Carly Le Blanc

10/1/07

I read some of A Dancing Culture: Powwow Culture on the Southern Plains and I realized I had really underestimated the number of public powwows performed. The book tried to emphasize this resurgence as an effort by Native Americans to maintain their culture. Through class discussions I don’t see how that goal can be achieved in the way described in the book. The book talks about funnel cakes being for sale and people attending to view specific dancers’ talents. I don’t see how performing their sacred dances for people’s evaluation can realize the original purpose of the rituals themselves. I was actually kind of saddened by reading about these “County Fair” powwows. The commentary by the dancers themselves all stated the same, “maintaining the culture.” The dancers didn’t talk about interaction with the sacred or communing with the “wholly other.” I was glad that people are concerned about the preservation of the culture but I don’t believe that they will ever be the same as they were before contact. Maybe because of altering state and active nature of the world change is expected? Perhaps they welcome the opportunity to share their native experiences, but it is at the expense of demystification?