Question 1: Differences between Powwows and Stomp Dances

What are the primary differences between stomp dances and powwows? What is the aim of each? What function does each serve in Native American culture? What expectations does each have of the performers? Of the audience?

According to Victoria E. Sanchez in “Intertribal Dance and Cross Cultural Communication: Traditional Powwows in Ohio,” the author begins by explaining exactly what a powwow is. “Powwows are American Indian celebrations of community and spirituality, featuring American Indian drum and dance as well as vendors offering American Indian foods, craft items and various other materials.” The aim of powwows is to celebrate center events or situations. According to Sanchez, they begin as tribal dances for situations like, “healing ceremonies, preparations for and return from war, hunting celebrations, spiritual celebrations.”  However, currently the powwow is more of “a social event emphasizing spirituality.” Therefore, the aim and function of these dances are a celebration of spiritual beliefs held by Native Americans.

Jason Baird Jackson discusses stomp dances in his article, “The Opposite of Powwow: Ignoring and Incorporating the Intertribal War Dance in the Oklahoma Stomp Dance Community.” This article focuses on stomp dances in Oklahoma. The function of the stomp dance is to perform these dances on ceremonial grounds. These dances occur at night. It is different from powwows in the fact that it does not have a drum in the center of the dance. Men also contribute vocals to these performances.

Performers and audience are an important part of stomp dances. According to Jason Baird Jackson, the audience and performers are sometimes connected by powwows, bridging a gap between American Indians and Native Americans.

-Monica Strauss

Q3 Native American Music Crossroad & Bridge

Contemporary Native American Music sits at the crossroad of the past and the future and serves as a bridge to these two times and places. The fact that Native American music even is contemporary shows that the Native American (NA for short) people are not just a part of the past but a part of the musical present and future.  This innovation in music can draw an audience, an audience with money!  These musicians must traverse the musical traditions of the past and combine them with music of the present without losing what makes NA music so special and evocative.  This music can serve to illustrate the world that we are losing alongside the one that we are building.

All music can be blended, mixed and remixed to become a cross pollinization of cultures across the world and NA music is no different.  NA music is crossing into genres like reggae, rap, jazz, musical poetry and new age and these hybrid styles can bring different peoples together- NA music can serve as a bridge because the musicans are basically "in between" the cultures, serving as a link between all of the different styles embodied in their music.  NA hybrid music can introduce a whole new generation of people to the NA stories and way of life.  Music is the common language that allows this communication to take place.

Angela Thurman

Check out some NA contemporary riffs with beautiful images:
http://youtu.be/KQ5ZU1HDPLQ

Q2: Circle up yo

The “voice of the drum is like a heartbeat” that pulses through the participants and serves as the lifeblood to the performance.  The powwow is a spiritual celebration of life that encourages both native and non-native Americans to join as long as all minds are free of drugs and alcohol.  The center of the powwow circle is a large drum considered to be both literally and symbolically the heart.  Everything moves around, is centered by, and operates from the placement and purpose of the drum.  Without it, the powwow is impossible.

The circle stands for equality.  Inside it is a prayer for all relatives.  It is a sacred space in which everyone enters into the same prayer, same understanding, and equality.  It is the sacred circle of life, and the dancers inside it also represent their bonds and support for one another through their dancing patterns.  The motion and geometry of the powwow represent the power of the performance to bring people together.  Through this act, participants seek and maintain connections.

Recently, I attended a wedding where a large dance circle formed on the floor.  Members of the bride and groom’s families all joined together to dance and cheer on other participants despite not knowing each other by name.  In the circle everyone was incorporated and invited.  It served as a bonding mechanism that aided in endearing guests to one another and building communitas. 

Circular symbolism is seen throughout venues including corporate communication.  Businesses keen on complete integration, and not hierarchically driven, often hold meetings around a circular table in order to give equal standing to each voice and perspective.  

- Hailey Drescher

The role of the Ajk'il, or the daykeeper, is an important role in the Mayan culture. These people are both men and women who learn how to interpret and understand unexplained diseases, dreams, and ancient Mayan heritage. Their other jobs include taking care of the Mayan shrines and serve as the head of patrilingeages (p. 144). This role can been seen as similar to a modern day astrologist and similar to a psychic. Although this role may been outdated in some cultures, the Mayan value historical information and rely on their ancient calendar to predict upcoming events.

I spent a week in Cancun the summer after my senior year in high school! One of the extra trips we took was to see some of these ancient Mayan ruins, including the Chichen Itza. Check out some personal pictures below!

-Miranda Chesson

In looking at the restoration of the Moreria Nima' K'iche', there are multiple examples of revitalistic techniques. THe activists use indigenous dance troupes, teach classes about Mayan culture, and use musicians that perform traditional music. They also hold fairs that showcase local artisans and craftspeople. This helps the activists spread their knowledge to others, including those outside the Mayan culture.


I tried to think of a tourist attraction in the United States that works to preserve culture in a similar way. The first thought that comes to mind is attractions like Jamestown and old-time frontier military forts that attempt to recreate colonial or frontier life. Actors wear the traditional clothes of the period, and spend their days reenacting the day to day lives of people of the period - churning butter, plowing fields, chasing Native Americans. I also thought about the festivals that happen across the country throughout the year (at least they happen in Kansas) where communities hold festivals that honor the heritage of the town, such as Czechfest or Herzogfest (my hometown's German festival).

However, there are some distinct differences between these tourist attractions and the Moreria. The festivals I described above are similar in that they attempt to attract outsiders to learn above the culture and history of the town. However, they are not as complex or involved as the techniques used with the Moreria. Plus these festivals often pull in much more modern aspects or attractions that aren't culturally based. The reenactment attractions are more similar to the Moreria, but there is still a difference. I think the key difference is reenactment verses revitalization. Jamestown attempts to keep us connected to our past. It does not, however, attempt to revitalize that period's culture. The Moreria is attempting to revitalize the culture and ensure it continues to exist and grow. No one is trying to revitalize us chasing Native Americans or churning our own butter.


Ken Wagner

Question 3: Ajk'ij/Daykeepers

In historical Mayan culture, ajk’il, or daykeepers, “Qualified ajk’ij ‘daykeepers’, men and women who know how to interpret illnesses, omens, dreams, internal bodily sensations, and the workings of the Maya calendar, are quite numerous in a number of Quiche towns. Some male daykeepers hold the title of chuchkajaw ‘mother-father’, which properly belongs to those who serve as the heads of patrilineages and look after shrines that every proper patrilineage has on its lands,” (144-145). 

According to the same article, these daykeepers were responsible for caring for shrines based on the Mayan calendar. “It is without rival among contemporary highland Maya towns in the degree to which its ceremonial life is timed according to the Maya calendar and mapped according to the relative elevations and directional positions of outdoor shrines,” (145). 

Though, this role in society seems to almost reflect those of an astrologist or tarot card reader, this positions are have no superstition in Quiche society.  However, like someone who is a tarot card reader, these readings of Mayan culture and text by daykeepers is a performance of their knowledge. 

However, daykeepers are much more complex than a tarot card reading. Daykeepers are responsible for keeping count of days correlating to the Mayan calendar. However, this still seems to draw ties to the role of something like an astrologer. However, the stars have nothing to do with the calendar. 

-Monica Strauss

Revitalistic techniques used in Nima' K'iche'

There are many examples of revitalistic techniques used by the activists who are restoring the Moreria Nima' K'iche' and they are constant and ongoing, some are:
*teaching classes in tailoring and in Mayan culture
*sponsoring musicians who practicie tradional music
*sponsoring indigenous dance troupes
*holding fair to showcase local artisans
*sponsoring apprentice morero's and craftspeople
*setting realistic rental pricing thus expanding participation
*offering a knowledge base to others

By working with and within the local communities, the activists have recreated the Moreria and made it an active part of the community.

This is unlike most of the tourist attractions that I have visited- the Moreria is alive, the people involved are not performing as a museum piece or only as a tourist attractions, this is living art, this art will continue to grow and expand.  In contrast, most of the performances I have seen at tourist attractions are dead, they are not actively growing, the people involved are not apprenticing for future involvement.  The closest example that I can think of to the Moreria is Charleston, where there are people making bread, beer, soap, cloths, etc, the way that they did in the 17th c.  The people are very involved and take their "jobs" seriously but in the Moreria they are not "acting", this is not just a day job, this is their culture and this is their life!

Angela Thurman

Here is a screen shot that I took from an article about local dance- these are 2 masks used in the Dance of Conquest referred to in the article.