Yay!

I had so much fun yesterday. We were there for almost 7 hours and it seemed to fly by. All the performers were amazing: the dancers, singers and drummers. I think my favorites were the grass dancers. Although I didn't get any pictures of them because they did a memorial dance and we were asked not to take pictures. The whole thing gave me chills though. :) I didn't get that many pictures, I think because I was enjoying the thing so much.

It was pretty well run too. There was continuous garbage pick up and people directing the parking traffic. My only complaint was that the porta potties were fairly gross. But I guess at an outside event you can't have everything. :) And when I say they were gross, I mean they were actually fairly neat inside, but they, achem, filled up fast.

It took place in a really beautiful area, but it was hard to capture that with all the parked cars and power lines. I know, it doesn't sound beautiful. :P I'm very glad that I went with a high SPF sunscreen or I would have been a fried mommy by the end of the day. Oh, I also had an Indian taco. mmmm It's kind of like taco ingredients on fry bread.

The announcer was really cool and explained what the songs and dances meant. The grass dancers initially flattened down the high prairie grasses so there could be a pow wow.

This guy was the crowd favorite. He was really tall and fierce looking. I couldn't help but think if he'd been there when the settlers had shown up, things might have gone differently.

I didn't spend too much money. I got myself a pretty larimar ring and some dangly turquoise earrings. Plus some bells because everyone else was jingling, darn it! I also got some sweet grass to use for smudging instead of sage.

I'd like to give a shout out to Stacy for inviting me and for bringing the folding chairs. I still miss mine. :(

PS - tribal dancing is not that easy. I did dance around the bonfire and I'm sure I looked like an epileptic stork. Completely unlike the regal and graceful ladies who did the shawl dance. Sigh.

PPS - I danced a round a bonfire! How cool is that???

PPPS - with other dancers and to Native music

PPPPS - just in case you thought I was off dancing by myself