Story Photos
 Ashley Gildewell, 7, of Tigard, Ore., dances Saturday at the Cowlitz tribe's powwow in Toledo. Greg Ebersole / The Daily News
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Dancers put the wow in powwow
Saturday, September 20, 2008 11:35 PM PDT
By Tony Lystra
tlystra@tdn.com
Printable version
E-mail this articleAshley Glidewell bounced, popped and threaded her way around the gym at the St. Mary's Center in Toledo Saturday, the drums thundering, the voices of the men, feathers in their hair, rising higher and higher.
Her steps, part of a competition at the Cowlitz Indian Tribe's powwow here, were part precision, part rhythm, all style. Watching the 7-year-old, you could see the centuries-old tradition. And then there was an extra flourish, which sort of resembled Molly Ringwald's trademark jam session in the Breakfast Club.
Ashley, a member of the Canadian Metis tribe, explained that the "jingle dance," is a dance of prayer. You "pray to God," she said, "to help your soul."
It was the beautiful, traditional history of the Native American displayed, often by children and teenagers, with an inevitable contemporary touch.
Asked if it's difficult to learn these dances, Ashley, who lives in the Portland area, said, "Not for me."
"She's been around powwows since she was born," explained her aunt, Samantha Webb, 43, who was also dancing Saturday. "That's why it's not hard for her. . . . We listen to powwow music all the time at home. It's going all the time at our place."
The Cowlitz Tribe's ninth annual powwow brought hundreds of dancers and observers from around the Northwest on Saturday. Men in face paint and feathered regalia sat in circles, pounding away at drums. Others wound their way in a procession around the gym in hypnotic rhythm.
"To me, when you get in the circle with the drum, it's like a place with no pain," said Franco Rodriguez, 50, of Longview, who said he follows the Lakota Indian tradition.
Rodriguez said the event seems to be growing each year. "More people seem to be showing up, more drummers, more dancers," he said.
In addition to the children's competition, the day included dozens of dance performances, story telling, drumming circles and a salmon dinner.
Hoot Mesteth, 37, of Hermiston, Ore., a member of the Sioux Tribe, said it was his first time at the Cowlitz event. He joined a drum circle and sometimes stepped onto the gym's floor to dance.
"I like these little, one-day powwows," he said. "They're like a community get-together."
cherokee wrote on Sep 21, 2008 12:36 AM:
just a thought wrote on Sep 21, 2008 3:21 PM:
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