Tuesday, August 17, 1971

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Page Five

Tuesday, August 17, 1971 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five

Powwow: Remnants
of a fading culture

By JIM IRWIN
A recent powwow held near
here gave curious Ann Arborites
a colorful glimpse of the rem-
nants of American Indian cul-
ture.
Yet an inescapably modern set-
ting was a firm reminder of a
culture once thriving in peace
and harmony with nature, now
dwindling since the invasion of
the white man.
Historically, powwows were
were political gatherings of two
or more Indian tribes to trade,
dance, sing, and renew treaties.
The powwow near here was held
Aug. 7-8 at Knights of Columbus
Park outside of Ann Arbor.
Included in the program were
Indian dance demonstrations and
contests, traditional Indian food,
games and crafts such as bas-
ket - weaving, quill work, bead-
work, and leather - craft.
The::powwow was sponsored by
Anericao. Indians Unlimited, a
recently fornied local organiza-'

tion, partly to raise money for
Indian scholarships.
The costumes were spectacular
-made of skins, feathers, furs,
beads and bells worn by Indians
as they danced in a circle to the
sonorous chants and rhythms of
Indian drummers.
Although the styles of Indian
costumes were originally very
distinct for different tribes, ac-
cording to Joyce Tinkham, an
officer of American Indians
Unlimited, the various styles
blend over the years as Indians
moved to different parts of the
country and adopted styles of
other tribes.
Geometric designs on the cos-
tumes, Tinkham explains, are
usually indicative of plains In-
dians such as Sioux tribes. Flow-
er styles designs are character-
istic of woodland Indians.
The feather bustles originated
in Oklahoma but -have been
adopted b almost all Indians,
throushout the country.

Photography by Gary Villani