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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2002)
Annual Pow Wow celebrates culture with dance, drums ■The University’s Native American Student Union brought generations together for festivities this weekend By Danielle Gillespie Oregon Daily Emerald Dancing in styles ranging from vi brant and lively to slow and serene, men, women and children dressed in traditional Native American at tire joined the Native American Stu dent Union on Saturday and Sun day in McArthur Court to celebrate its 34th annual Pow Wow. The weekend’s events began with a welcoming speech by University President Dave Frohnmayer, fol lowed by a grand entry. For the f grand entry, all of the dancers en tered Mac Court together as a parade * of nations to honor Native Ameri v can ancestors and the present gen eration, Umatilla tribe member Thomas Morning Owl said. “This event gives us a chance to continue to share our culture with the University,” NASU member Brent Spencer said. “It gives us an opportunity to sustain our culture and celebrate our heritage.” Traditionally, Native Americans held a Pow Wow before heading into war, but through the years, it evolved into a celebration dance to recognize the importance of Native American heritage, Morning Owl said. At the fow Wow, 13 vendors sold Native American crafts such as necklaces, spearheads, moccasins and buffalo jerky. NASU also served everyone a salmon dinner at the University Longhouse on Saturday and offered plenty of opportunities for people to compete and have fun dancing to the drum beats of the bands Eagle Thunder, Rattling Thunder and Fox Tail. Men and women competed in two dance categories — traditional and fancy. To dance the “tradition al,” women wear older style dresses and men usually wear buffalo skin. On the dance floor, their move ments are slow and more reserved than other Native American dances. To dance the “fancy,” men and women usually wear colorful out fits and their movements are ener getic and vibrant. i Women also competed in the jin gle dance category. For this dance, 4 they wear dresses with metal cones . that make musical sounds as the dif ferent dance moves are performed. Office of Multicultural Affairs Academic Advisor James Florendo said he has been dancing at NASU’s Pow Wows since he was a student at the University. “It gives me a chance to dance, and it’s an opportunity to share with oth er people the plant and the spirit,” he said. “Mostly, it just feels good.” People also participated in the grass dance, which originated in the plains as a ceremonial dance to bless the ground where people would be dancing at a festivity. For this dance, the men wear outfits with fringes that represent the grass, Morning Owl said. In addition, people danced in the owl dance, which is one of the few dances that allows for public affection. For the owl dance, women choose partners to dance with. The rabbit dance and the push dance are the only other two dances that allow couples to dance together, Morning Owl said. Because the event was free of charge, NASU also had a blanket dance as a way for audience mem bers to give money as a recognition of the dancers. “It’s sort of like passing the hat around, but it’s with a blanket,” Morning Owl said. Participants celebrate Native American culture through dance at the 34th annual Pow Wow put on by the Native American Student Union on Saturday and Sunday in McArthur Court. uniidren age b years and under had the chance to dance in Tiny Tots, and every child received a prize for going out onto the dance floor. In addition, children ages 7 to 12 competed for prizes in the junior dance categories, and teenagers ages 13 to 18 also competed. “This gives us a chance to ac knowledge our children’s learning of tribal dance,” Morning Owl said. “Unlike the European culture, we start our children dancing before they can even walk.” Eight-year-old Cassie Szczepakn ski said she enjoyed dancing in the Intertribal, an event where everyone has a chance to dance in any style they choose. “It’s really fun to dance, and I like to do it a lot,” she said. E-mail reporter Danielle Gillespie atdaniellegillespie@dailyemerald.com. 75 Foot long Sub Expires 6/9/02 SUBSHOP 1225 ALDER 345-2434 Not valid with any other discounts or coupons. 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