A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
More than a dozen children completed a one-week long Smoke Dance course last week.
Sako Doxtador-Swamp
The participants put on a show at the end of the week for their parents.
Brothers Truman Square and Blake Square
Blake Square, Tristen Thompson, Austin Thompson, Trinity Thompson, Joan Cross and Alexander Cross.
One last practice before the parents arrive.
Instructor Cheyenne Doxtador-Swamp attempts to remind her students of everything they learned during the week.
Along with smoke dancing, the participants also learned social dances and the rules associated with them.
The boys learned the rules .
Cheyenne Doxtator and Frank Phillips were the smoke dance class instructors this year at the Akwesasne Museum. The students learned about the origins of smoke dance and also learned how the differing smoke dance styles of men and women are related to social dances and ceremonial dances. 90% of our songs, dances and culture can be traced all the way back to the creation, even though smoke dancing at powwows started recently.
Twenty eight students came to class over the week of August 11 to 15. They learned from the teachers and from DVD’s, and mostly from PRACTICE! A craft day was held on Thursday for the girls to make feather fluffs for their hair and boys to make leg garters. On Friday, Skahondowaneh Swamp was the singer as a rousing exhibition of the students’ dance moves was held on the lawn.
This year’s students were:
Kiakowisonkies Phillips
Ia’teieka:nereh Doxtator-Swamp
Karoniahawi David
Andrew Thais
Peter Thais
Tiffany Brann
Lexis Jacobs
Blake Square
Truman Square
Austin Thompson
Trinity Thompson
Tristen Thompson
Warren Oakes
Ryan Oakes, Jr.
David Oakes
Kanatires Barreiro
Joseph Cross
Alex Cross
Joan Cross
Teres Jacobs
Rote Jacobs
Teka Jacobs
CJ Jacobs
Ronnie Jacobs
Shakoronhioke:wen Jacobs
Rohonwa’kehra Herne
Awenhiyos King
Ieweras Gray
Reader Comments(0)