Post by Moon Seeker on Aug 16, 2009 10:23:08 GMT -5
Powwow held to confront Native American stereotypes
KENT — It was a day of unity and a celebration to demolish negative stereotypes of American Indians at the ninth annual Daniel Nimham Intertribal Pow Wow at Veterans Memorial Park yesterday.
Gil “Cryinghawk” Tarbox, organizer of the two-day event and a member of the Nimham Mountain Singers, a Native American music group, said the event was beneficial to the community.
“Native Americans have been seen as savages, but we have a very rich culture,” he said. “We come together and solve problems and we are misunderstood about our spiritually.”
Cheyanne Alberti, whose grandmother was part of the Lakota Sioux tribe in South Dakota, warmly greeted people as they entered the festival. She wore American Indian regalia with blue and yellow beads with her hair in two long braids.
“Powwows are important because it teaches people that Native Americans are like everyone else,” she said. “When you watch TV they are always the bad guy.”
A powwow is a gathering of North America’s people. The word derives from the Narragansett word “powwaw,” meaning “spiritual leader.”
The event included singing, dancing and the selling of Indian products such as clothes, moccasins, jewelry, art and crafts, soaps, music and animal furs.
Beth Hayes and her husband, Gary, of Lake Luzerne sold handmade goods while they nodded their heads to Native American drumming.
“You hear those drums?” she asked. “The drums are Indian drums — not that dun dun dun dun. That’s Hollywood Indian drums. This celebrates our heritage and dispels many of those Hollywood stereotypes.”
Her husband, Gary, laughed.
“And no one ever does this,” he said as he opened his mouth and took his hand and hit it continuously, making the “ahh ahh ahh”-sound that television has shown Indians making.
Tarbox said the festival also serves other important purposes: Educating the community about Kent’s Wappinger tribe, raising money for the monument honoring the tribes of the Wappinger confederacy and Daniel Nimham, one of its leaders, and remembering American Indian veterans.
The Wappingers descended from ancestors who were forced to part with their lands during the preceding century, and who lived in Putnam and Dutchess counties.
Nimham, chief of the Wappinger Indians, was the most prominent Native American of his time living in the Hudson Valley. He was killed by British forces in the Revolutionary War.
Mike Bennett, a radio personality at WHUD 100.7 FM, gave out prizes and hosted a raffle. Named an honorary American Indian and given the name “Mooeen,” meaning “bear,” by Tarbox, he said he was happy to take part.
“Native Americans get the short end of every stick,” he said. “Anything that supports a monument of Native Americans, I am here.”
John Curzio and his dad Mario of Stormville examined some of the Hayes' goods. The 12-year-old decided to buy a piece of gray rabbit fur.
“I have come many times,” he said. “I like the history of the Native Americans.”
Henry Muenala is an American Indian musician of the South American group Chacras, born in Ecuador. He sold his CDs, handmade leather bracelets and antaras, Peruvian musical instruments with a series of pipes arranged vertically.
“It brings together my culture from every country,” he said.
As women and girls did the Fancy Shawl Dance, a traditional intertribal dance, Tarbox looked on and smiled.
“We are sharing our culture,” he said.
www.lohud.com/article/20090816/NEWS04/908160337/1219/NEWS0402/Powwow-held-to-confront-Native-American-stereotypes
KENT — It was a day of unity and a celebration to demolish negative stereotypes of American Indians at the ninth annual Daniel Nimham Intertribal Pow Wow at Veterans Memorial Park yesterday.
Gil “Cryinghawk” Tarbox, organizer of the two-day event and a member of the Nimham Mountain Singers, a Native American music group, said the event was beneficial to the community.
“Native Americans have been seen as savages, but we have a very rich culture,” he said. “We come together and solve problems and we are misunderstood about our spiritually.”
Cheyanne Alberti, whose grandmother was part of the Lakota Sioux tribe in South Dakota, warmly greeted people as they entered the festival. She wore American Indian regalia with blue and yellow beads with her hair in two long braids.
“Powwows are important because it teaches people that Native Americans are like everyone else,” she said. “When you watch TV they are always the bad guy.”
A powwow is a gathering of North America’s people. The word derives from the Narragansett word “powwaw,” meaning “spiritual leader.”
The event included singing, dancing and the selling of Indian products such as clothes, moccasins, jewelry, art and crafts, soaps, music and animal furs.
Beth Hayes and her husband, Gary, of Lake Luzerne sold handmade goods while they nodded their heads to Native American drumming.
“You hear those drums?” she asked. “The drums are Indian drums — not that dun dun dun dun. That’s Hollywood Indian drums. This celebrates our heritage and dispels many of those Hollywood stereotypes.”
Her husband, Gary, laughed.
“And no one ever does this,” he said as he opened his mouth and took his hand and hit it continuously, making the “ahh ahh ahh”-sound that television has shown Indians making.
Tarbox said the festival also serves other important purposes: Educating the community about Kent’s Wappinger tribe, raising money for the monument honoring the tribes of the Wappinger confederacy and Daniel Nimham, one of its leaders, and remembering American Indian veterans.
The Wappingers descended from ancestors who were forced to part with their lands during the preceding century, and who lived in Putnam and Dutchess counties.
Nimham, chief of the Wappinger Indians, was the most prominent Native American of his time living in the Hudson Valley. He was killed by British forces in the Revolutionary War.
Mike Bennett, a radio personality at WHUD 100.7 FM, gave out prizes and hosted a raffle. Named an honorary American Indian and given the name “Mooeen,” meaning “bear,” by Tarbox, he said he was happy to take part.
“Native Americans get the short end of every stick,” he said. “Anything that supports a monument of Native Americans, I am here.”
John Curzio and his dad Mario of Stormville examined some of the Hayes' goods. The 12-year-old decided to buy a piece of gray rabbit fur.
“I have come many times,” he said. “I like the history of the Native Americans.”
Henry Muenala is an American Indian musician of the South American group Chacras, born in Ecuador. He sold his CDs, handmade leather bracelets and antaras, Peruvian musical instruments with a series of pipes arranged vertically.
“It brings together my culture from every country,” he said.
As women and girls did the Fancy Shawl Dance, a traditional intertribal dance, Tarbox looked on and smiled.
“We are sharing our culture,” he said.
www.lohud.com/article/20090816/NEWS04/908160337/1219/NEWS0402/Powwow-held-to-confront-Native-American-stereotypes