Dressing for the dance

New Era Copy Editor Monica K. Smith attended the powwow as well, and discusses what she learned from the regalia at the event.

Monica eventually found some feathers

If I had never learned anything from watching Project Runway, I was definitely getting an education in Hopkinsville this weekend: Feathers, for those who don't know, are in.

At least that was the lesson I received Saturday night at the 24th Annual International Powwow. Sure, I've seen a few girls with color-corrected hair attach feathers to their own heads for additional flair;  however, this was something all-together new. Feathers of all colors, types and textures flocked around the grounds, sending my optical senses into overdrive. They were standing tall on head pieces, fluttering on robes, flowing on jewelry, and a few exceptionally decorated individuals paraded with feathers collected together to create the semblance of wings (who doesn't need wings?!? I could use two sets!).

Oh I was jealous. There I was in jeans and a tank top. No accessories. No flair. No feathers.

Monica is a little afraid of what she's holding

Watching them moving through the crowd was inspiring enough - then came the drums.

The rhythms filled the powwow as individuals competed in a dance competition, their movements causing their feathers to flutter in the air. As I watched I learned that the way an individual was dressed indicated what type of dance was expected of the dancer. It was explained to me that the construction of the outfits is begun at a young age, and the regalia is steadily worked on as the individual grows, creating a wearable tapestry representing a part of that person's life. I came to realize that the outfits each person wore were chosen for a specific purpose - each feather attached for a reason.

Those who judged the dancers were knowledgeable on various clothing styles and what a particular style would equate to on the dance floor – err … ground. So, dancers were thus graded not only on their ability to dance well, but their ability to best represent their outer appearance.

Monica appreciated the meticulous care needed to create the regalia

As I watched them dance, greatly coveting their eagle feathers, I realized I'm just as meticulous in what I wear. Each top is debated, set of earrings pondered, "do I wear a scarf or a sweater?" I started to wonder what my outer appearance indicated of me - and if my dance matched. 

Thanks Monica for the article and the awesome photos! Look for hints at my next bucket list location, and reaction to the last column, later this week! 

More than a song and dance

I had the privilege of attending the powwow in Hopkinsville this weekend, and I was thoroughly impressed with the entire affair. Although I didn't meet any local dancers, I'm sure at least one or two of the participants in the two-day event hailed from some place local, and I'm fairly certain most of the attendees were from the area.

These guys were awesome, and played all day long

While the dancing was amazing and the regalia--the outfits people wore, not to be confused with or referred to as costumes-- I could not get over the intensity and ability of the musicians. While, for the most part, they only used their voices and one large communal drum, I thought the music was vibrant, unique and had a great deal of depth. I have absolutely no idea what they were singing about, but I know that I would never have guessed the men encircling the drum could have made those songs with their voices alone.

Some may have described the voices as shrill or tribal, but I thought they had a beautiful ability to cover a wide range of notes, moving through different octaves while harmonizing very effectively. There were two bands who, not only alternated songs but also rotated through a variety of different group members. The changes happened seamlessly though, which helped create a more familial atmosphere for me; although I'm not positive, the ability for all of the different musicians to play the same songs together gave the impression that everyone grew up watching their dads, grandpas and other family members seeing the songs. (I only saw men playing the drum and singing the song. I'm not positive on this point either, but I doubt this was a coincidence.)

Other moments from the powwow that stuck with me:

 I love the way the sky and his regalia look in color

• I've had frybread in the past, but I had the good fortune to enjoy more of the dish on Saturday. When I've tried it, is has resembled something like an elephant ear/funnel cake, but of a slightly thicker consistency. I know you can enjoy it as more of a main meal as well though, turning out something lie an open-faced taco. Mine was drizzled in honey, and it was delectable.
• The weather seemed to add some character to the event. As I arrived on Saturday, a double rainbow was clearly visible in southern Hopkinsville, and the sun and clouds seemed to participate in a dance of their own throughout the evening. The dancers didn't let a slight rain deter them from letting lose; on Sunday though, some lightning seemed to give some pause. During the golden age women's division, as the elderly women were participating in a cloud dance, a massive clap of thunder followed a flash of lightning. After the dance was complete, the announcer joked all of the ladies had added a new move to their repertoire: a five-foot jump straight up, which seemed to directly coincide with that thunder. 
• The announcer was hilarious. You could tell he had emceed similar events in the past, but he was having a great time and genuinely added to the experience while maintaining the pace of the dances. 
• It's always fun for me to see someone truly committed to something that I don't really understand. The dancers seemed to relish in the environment, moving freely without any apparent signs of embarrassment or resignation.  

Thanks as always for your interest in the column and blog, please continue to send your comments and suggestions my way. Tomorrow look for a different take on the event from New Era Copy Editor Monica K. Smith. She also shot the two photos on the blog today, so much thanks for her help. 
 

Rodeo round-up

Overall I had a great time at the rodeo; it was a humbling experience, but one I will definitely remember fondly in years to come. There are a few things that stuck with me from the event that did not make it into the column, a scenario I've found myself in when writing all of my bucket list stories.

So, on the day my column runs in the New Era, I'll be posting additional tidbits here in the blog.

I'm in the green shirt, trying to act like I've done this before.

I cannot emphasize how weird it was for me to feel my horse Rob Roy inhaling and exhaling: the expansion and shrinking of the rib cage creates a really odd feeling of not being in control, for me anyway. I can generally pick things up pretty quickly, but I had a tough time really feeling comfortable with the horse and the subtle ques needed to come to a mutual understanding. Vanessa Madison, one of the rodeo orchestrators and my guide for the night, told me the more I relaxed I was on the horse, the more the horse would relax and the easier it would be for both of us. Apparently I had a tough time relaxing, because neither of us really seemed all that comfortable.

Apart from my lack of control, it was particularly humbling to see little kids riding by on massive horses. Some of these kids could not have been older than 8 or 9 years old, their legs jutting out at extreme angles because they were too short to fold around the horse's side. And yet they trotted by on their steads with easy, obviously happy as a clam. I've never been in a situation where little kids were able to do something better than me; this could be one of the first signs that I'm starting to get old.

Other tidbits that stood out to me:

• Some of the cowboys used lassos that didn't appear to be made of rope or the typical dusty brown color expected, but rather a cord-material sometimes made with loud colors, including neon green, yellow and pink. New Era photographer Dana Long and I decided maybe the colorful lassos could be easier to see after the cowboy makes his or her throw. 
• Thanks to Dana Long for photographing the event, coming through with awesome rodeo art, including the photo in this post. 
• The smell of a rodeo is immediately evident and similar to that of a barn, but it faded away pretty quickly. 
• One of the rodeo judges, Jeff, told me he'd been involved with rodeos for 16 or 17 years. He said although it's fun, it can get a little repetitive. He used to ride in the events, but preferred the guaranteed paycheck that came with being a judge.
• Mike Gibbs, the cowboy who helped me during my ride, competed in the team calf roping event. He said he belonged to the International Professional Rodeo Association, as did most of the other participants. The organization keeps a calendar of rodeos, and riders need to sign up with the local rodeo organizers in order to participate. 

Thanks for your continued interest in the column, please let me know if you have any ideas, questions or criticism. Feel free to post your comments on this site, and click on the info box on the home page of the blog to subscribe to future posts.