Sioux Valley powwow a community effort
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/07/2018 (2814 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
SIOUX VALLEY DAKOTA NATION — Red ribbons blew in the wind on Nicholas Jackson’s outfit as he emerged from the shelter of a teepee, ready to perform a grass dance at Sioux Valley Dakota Nation’s annual powwow on Friday evening.
The powwow is held every year during the third weekend in July, and is a celebration steeped in history and culture, which includes singing, dancing and food.
Jackson is one of many dancers to perform during the weekend.
The 20-year-old has danced in various events, but no matter what the venue, the reason why stays the same.
“I’m here for people,” Jackson said as he adjusted the beaded cuffs on his outfit. “I dance for the ones that can’t dance. I dance for the ones that wish they could be out there.”
The grass dance he was slated to perform on Friday was a reflection of history.
“The tribe would use the scouts — the ones that went ahead first to scout out the area. They would dance in the grass in a very swift motion. They would do that as many times as needed in their area for celebration or for settlements and stuff like that,” he said.
The dance he was preparing to perform would be swift as well as elegant, he said.
Jackson was part of the grand entry on Friday that kicked off the weekend-long event.
Everything he wore was homemade, using a mix of blue and red. Completing the regalia was a process that he said took approximately two years to complete.
“Red it represents blood, sweat and tears, and blue is a sacred colour. It represents earth and it represents the sky,” he said.
Wearing the outfit gave Jackson a sense of pride.
“I like to stand out. I like to be unique. I like to be me,” he said.
The powwow always involves a community effort, including not only the dancers, but also those who work behind the scenes.
“We always look forward to having a celebration like this,” said Eleanor Elk, a member of the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Council.
“Many people start preparing and do awesome jobs putting it up and fixing up things in the weeks prior.”
It remains a large-scale celebration for more than just those who live in Sioux Valley.
“We do get a lot of visitors from other communities,” Elk said.
The annual powwow will run until Sunday and is open to the general public to attend.
» mverge@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @Melverge5
