She didn't make herself a chieftess...

Picture is from BRF Powwow, 2013.  Good to go back home every now and then.  I feel like I am returning home or perhaps at least somewhere comfortable and familiar.  I have been going to this powwow for over 40 years and it is still apparent to see that people are from different clans, know their kinships, know the songs of our ancestors, and know who the Chiefs or clan leaders were/are.  As I take in the powwow and hear the familiar songs, even to me who does not speak fluently, I often wonder about my place in the tribe.  There are many descendants from GOM, primarily following the Decorah line.  One can argue that it should be down the patrilineal line, but women are so vital to the Creator's plan that how can anyone dismiss a woman's lineage?  My line goes back to GOM through White Woman (first born) > Shachipkaka (first born) > Spoon (first born) > GOM.  I am a first born.  I feel connected, and yet not.

I raised Choka's flag this Memorial Day.  It felt good.  There are very few Decorah's in this celebration and from what I understand through oral tradition, there still is some reluctance to accept us Decorah's.  Some say it dates back to GOM and that would be around 1610 or 11, when she was born, and about 1628 or 1629, when she was elected Peace Chief at a Grand Council meeting after Chief Thunder died.  She was his only child as oral tradition goes.  There was no one qualified to take his place.  When Choka related the story of GOM, he retold the story he had heard from his grandmother Elizabeth Decorah, who was married to Doctor Decorah.  Doctor's mother was White Woman Decorah.  Choka laughed when he said GOM was a Chieftess, he didn't think it was right that a woman should be a Chief, but true to oral tradition, he recounted our family's and tribe's history to me; stating that GOM was a Chief.  My earliest recollection of Choka talking about our family history was when I was in Kindergarten or just 5 years old.  The last time he recounted the story to me was in November of 1994, and it was the same story.  He died the following month just before Christmas.

As I struggle to find my place in the tribe and in the world, I know that GOM didn't make herself a Chieftess.  No, she had to be elected.  She had to have the approval of the various clan leaders.  (Up to one half of the tribe split at Doty Island over this decision, 7 to 5).  She had to be of good character, strong and true.  She had to be fair, peace loving and enterprising.  These traits common among the Ho-Chunk women that I admire: Bonnie Clairmont, Myrtle Long, Adelia, Alvina Foss, Juanita Cleveland,  Buelah Sayers, Maxine Kohlner, and so many more.  It is easy for me to see the leadership qualities in these women, and I personally would have no problem if by some miraculous means one of them were to become a Peace Chief.  It has happened before.

I have tried to teach my children that standing for what is right, is more important than standing for what is popular.  I did that yesterday and while it is true, it hurts too.  It hurts and I hope I never forget that when my kids knuckle under peer pressure.

This is what GOM must have felt like when she was elected Peace Chief of the Ho-Chunk prior to their split at Doty Island.  She stood alone many times in her long years.  The pressure must have caused some tremendous hurt.  She was hurt by her people, abandoned by up to 1/2 the once united tribe.  She stood alone when the French raided their crops and villages because she married a French man.  She stood alone when her husband Joseph left to fight in the Battle of St. Foye.  She stood alone when the tribal members treated her sons as outcasts.

Last night at a Heritage Preservation Meeting in DMC, I stood alone and called the Chair into question when he made a behind closed doors political move against me at the request of the History Center of Olmsted County Board Chair.  A chair to chair type of male bonding.  I did this at the suggestion of the City Attorney for DMC.  

Why?  I wear several hats in this DMC community.  I am a member of the GRADS group,  I was a member of the Advisory Committee for the History Center, and I am on the Heritage Preservation Committee.  The HPC unanimously voted to have me inquire about how the HCOC could help us with our research of sites and properties in DMC at our end of April meeting.  A day later I made an appointment to see the librarian at the HCOC and within hours of that phone call, the HPC chair ordered me to stand down from my assignment that the body of the HPC voted in favor of.  Confused I agreed to do this, but I wanted answers.  What had a done wrong?  What where the accusations?

A few weeks prior to this meeting, I went to a meeting at the History Center.  We were to meet Cara Clarey, the Curator.  She, Museology and our Advisory Committee wrote a grant to plan for a permanent Dakota Ho-Chunk Exhibit.  The Minnesota Historical Society declined the grant at first because there were NO INDIANS on the committee.  Our Advisory Committee was born.  Anyway, in mid April our GRADS group went to meet Cara at the History Center and we were met by the new Executive Director and she was NOT happy.  She said Cara participated in some illegal activity and introduced us to the NEW Curator.  We were all in shock.  The New Director feigned that she did not know why we were there.  She denied any knowledge of Cara's activities with our group.  It was terrible.  A gentleman from the Museology group said that he detected a great deal of hostility from the new director and she said with gritted teeth and distended neck veins, "Why do you think I am hostile?"  Within a few feet from where we started our meeting she told her first lie.  She boasted how she went to Mayo Clinic and IBM and got money from them and asked them how they would like their story told in the museum.  She also went to the Sisters of Assisi Heights and asked them how they would like to be portrayed at the history center.  Our GRADS President Betty Smith caught this and said, "You didn't ask us how we wanted to be portrayed."  She said, "I knew Cara was talking with you people."  She took us on a little tour and we found out that there was to be no planning for a permanent exhibit.  There was to be no research involving our Elders.  There would just be a tiny display of our ancestors "pre-contact."  

When I left the encounter, I fired of a letter to the board and recounted the entire incident and asked them what they planned to do with all of their artifacts.  I asked them it they would repatriate the items back to the tribes that they belong to.

Within a few days, the HCOC Chair called me and said that they planned to revise the grant.  He said it was he and Mr. Suk, the President Elect, that told the director to tell us about the illegal activity Cara was involved in relative to the grant.  He said he was just a construction worker and didn't know about museums or history.  I thanked him for the information and fired off another letter that said despite how we were treated, despite our sadness at the firing of Cara Clarey, we would try to work with them in the spirit of reconciliation so that our people would be presented accurately in their revised exhibit.

Now back to the order to stand down issued from Jeff Alleman.  I asked the City Attorney two times what I should do because I did not understand why the HCOC, namely Lisa Baldus and Jim Suk would do this to me.  Bring it to the group and ask for direction.  I contacted the Planning and Zoning group, John Harford and asked to be put on the agenda.  When Jeff learned about this, he went ballistic.  He threatened me, intimidated me, and hung up on me when we did speak on the phone with each other.  He did his level best to dissuade me from talking about his punitive action against me in the public forum, namely at our next HPC meeting.  The last straw came for me when he threatened me and stated, "Upon your insistence, and against my strong recommendation, we added your item to Tuesday's agenda.  I believe your antagonizing both me and the HCOC distract the HPC from its mission and reduces any potential for celebration of your Dakota heritage with either group."

Despite the private support I had from the City Attorney, Mayor Brede, and other Commissioners, when it came time for the public forum, I stood alone.  Jeff was excellent in this management of the meeting.  I was last on the agenda of 9 items.  We have never had 9 items.  We have never had an agenda so loaded with actual HPC work.  Jeff was actually kind to the "preservationist" as he calls them.  He rushed me through my presentation, which was a letter addressed solely to the Commissioners with no public comments by me.  I decided to take his suggestion and met him half way.  Lo and behold, he whipped out a letter from a vacationing Jim Suk which said that he didn't want me at the HCOC because I wrote an "antagonistic" letter to the Board.  Jeff made a plea to the body that he did this (changed the vote of the body) because he was thinking about the good of the HPC.  He said I failed to disclose this (the antagonistc letter to the HCOC Board) to the HPC group.  No comment from the commissioners when I asked for some action on the matter.  No comments other than poor Justin Voss who said that perhaps next time this happens there could be full disclosure.

Great!  This was just great.  No comment when I said that this has implications for all of us.  Anyone could call and talk with the Chair and be unhappy with us for any reason and we could have our role diminished.  No comment from anyone.  Jeff was in his glory.  He said, "Does anyone have anything they want to say?"  No comment.  He went on to say that I tried to have Valerie not bring this up.  I tried to talk with her.  After several emails, telephone calls, she hung up on me...she didn't disclose her conflict of interest.  I denied any conflict of interest.  I didn't tell the group that Jeff contacted me in the 11th hour.  He gave me just one day to respond.  I had nothing to gain from making an inquiry at the Library at the HCOC.  I had dealings with the HCOC Board not the Librarian.  No Ho-Chunk luck as my Choka would say.  As I was about to bring up the next issue on the agenda, Indian Heights Park and how Jeff threatened me, he cut me off.  Chairmen can do that.

The meeting ended on a good note though, despite his threats, Indian Heights Park was added to the Stark List.  Jeff and Justin tried to thwart it, but the silent partners were silent no more and it passed.  Thanks silent partners.  Yet, you must realize that someday you will have to stand for truth no matter of public of political opinion or support.  Yet I thank you for your vote.

I have sent a letter of resignation to the Mayor and Jeff.  I will resign effective September 1, 2014.  I stood alone for one meeting, but I am not fond of masochism.  I will stand alone until September. I do not need to feel a part of my community in this destructive and dysfunctional manner.  I am the only woman of color on this commission.  I was the only woman until this meeting.  I can do more for my people away from these men, who happen to be all white, and keep my sanity.

I was hurt last night.  Jeff made a mockery of my truth seeking.  He made being truthful and forthright seem passe'. He used his political maneuvering quite effectively. I didn't speak ill of anyone.  I wanted the group to make sure this never happens again, to anyone.  While I will likely stand alone until I resign, I take heart that I am in good company.  GOM stood alone through so much worse than I, yet she lived to govern her people in wisdom for years.  I am grateful for her example and the example of my Gram who also stood alone so many times in her life time.  I pale in comparison to these great women, yet I am hopeful that I can bear up under all the adversity that is yet to come.

Irony

A word about irony.  I think it is one of the most intriguing and unsettling phenomenon of our time.  I have felt it at various time of my life, but cast into the miasma thinking there was really nothing we can do to change our circumstances in these cases.

During my study of GOM, as I was sorting through my data, interviews and archival accounts, I was stunned to learn that white people readily embraced GOM'S story, while many Ho-Chunks did not.  GOM's descendants believed the accounts and those Ho-Chunks who did not, railed on GOM, and her descendants to this very day.  My research was not to prove or disprove her status of a peace chief, but rather I used the Vasina Model designed my Jan himself and myself, to learn if her story was within the threads of our oral traditions, and it was.  Her story was found among her descendants, in various clans and in the general population of the Ho-Chunk people.

Another case of irony is my work with the History Center of Olmsted County.  I worked with the staff of this organization to secure a planning grant for a Dakota-Ho-Chunk Exhibit.  One of the staff members, Cara Clarey worked tireless on the grant with the help of GRADS (my group) and Museology, plus several Dakota and Ho-Chunk experts.  The HCOC received a 10K planning grant, but in the process Cara and another co-worker were fired because they did not secure the "proper signatures" and now the planning grant will be revised and resubmitted so that the Board will have "more control" and the exhibit will be "more manageable."  The Board was always in control as they would have to approve all phases of the planning through the exhibit.  Now the ALL WHITE  Board will determine who will work on the exhibit.  This just reeks with irony.  Can you smell it? 

This next example from my life hurts.  My tears have stopped for now, but my heart is still aching.  Son was discriminated against at Century High School while he played soccer in 8th grade because he made the C Squad and while he was a freshman.  In academics, the English teacher/soccer coach did not follow son's 504 plan and did not put the assignments on the board or anywhere where son could access them.  His math teacher also failed to consistently follow his 504 plan.  Finally, someone at Century HS said, "Here is your 504 plan just tell the teachers they have to follow it."  The MN DOE, 504 compliance officer said this was terrible and contacted someone at the Edison Building to try and change how RPS complies with the law.

In soccer, all the kids of color are placed on the bench or on C Squad.  All the WHITE kids get to play on JV or Varsity no matter their skill level.  True to the stories, if you are a kid of color you better be really good or you won't play JV or Varsity.  Son made JV, but was immediately dropped to allow some WHITE kid to play.  He was dropped down to C Squad, wasn't given a whole uniform, and when he questioned the coach because he was a good player, they railed on him and belittled him. 

Enter me, Bear Clan mother.  The more I questioned their actions, the more they clammed up until son got hurt.  In Rosemount, son got injured.  He was playing goalie and was getting hammered in the goalie box.  Calls to the coach yielded no help.  The coach didn't respond to him until blood was running down his leg. 

Bear Clan Mother had enough and called for a meeting of the WHITE men in charge and it was there that they lied.  It was woefully apparent to me, with 20 years of Human Rights experience, that they were NOT accustomed to having a woman, a woman of color question them.  An interesting side note, when we waited to speak with the administration at Century, all white men, we couldn't help but notice that all the kids of color were squeezed into one side of the cafeteria and all of the white kids were on the wide open side of the cafeteria with wide windows and high seated tables.  It looked like a picture from the 50s'.

At this meeting, lie after lie was spoken by these men: son was never on JV, son didn't show up for JV tryouts, son was never hurt, son was never railed on or belittled.  I had proof of his position on JV (an email one of the coaches sent me stating that he was on JV - fools).  We had parents and team mates ready to state that son was at try outs and practice.  Paulo dad even met the coach to talk to him at one of the practice sessions, but Coach Drew went along with Coach Houghton and said, "I made a mistake, Paulo was never at tryouts."   We brought son to the doctor (even tho Paulo is a doctor and I am a nurse) to see about his wound.  Century HS wanted to see proof of the wound and we had to bring him to the PT to see if there was anything she could do.  What the...no, we will treat the wound ourselves with the help of our pediatrician thank you! Finally Coach Fogarty, oops Principal Fogarty said, "If you have proof that your son was on JV, send me the email."  I sent that email ASAP and nothing was ever done.  All of these grown men lied and used my young son to cover their failings, to cover up their institutional and individual racism.  Shame on them!

On and on this trickery went until they crucified themselves.  Son attended a party at the Thornburg residence where alcohol and marijuana were allowed.  The PARENTS WERE HOME!!!  He did not partake.  Of course we didn't know this, son was scared, but lucky for him or us or God is just looking after us in our many trials, son got sick that night.  We took him to the ER and standard procedure give the times we live in, I guess, is to run a drug screen.  They did and it was clean.  He was sick. 

One week later, we got a letter from the activities director saying that son could not play sports for 50% of the next season BECAUSE HE INGESTED a harmful substance.  What the ...?  We had a right to due process and could appeal the decision, but we had to put it in writing AND we had just one day to respond.  Did they time this just right or what?  When I called the director, he refused to take my calls.  My emails were unanswered.  I wrote a letter and my husband hand carried it to the directors office because if we wanted DUE PROCESS we had a time line.  We waited and there was nothing.  Days went by.  Calls were not returned.  Finally we got a letter from Century HS saying they made a mistake.  What?

Bear Clan Mother (though I should say that Choka said I was Eagle Clan) was done.  A complaint was filed with the MDE OCR, the complaint was accepted because they had jurisdiction and the claim had merit.  Son was taken out of Century HS. 

He is at Lourdes HS and is doing well.  He is still a struggling freshman, unorganized and constantly plugged in, but son hurt himself at track practice yesterday while pushing off the starting blocks.  He shaved his mile time down from 4:17 to 4:12.  No one at his old HS or even at our church for that matter believed his time, but we have proof.  The coach at Lourdes took a video of son running the mile and breaking the school record.  Today son is limping, using hot and cold packs intermittently, but he may not be able to run.  To come this far through all of the HELL he had to go through at Century, to go through HELL and trials at our church because he his Mormon attending a Catholic school, to finally be able to shine in track, and now he might not be able to run.  Irony hurts.

The picture I chose to head up this rant, blog, purging, cleansing is one of me and my oldest daughter.  She too went through so much trial.  Abused by her biological father, struggled with and still struggles with depression and addiction, but today she is doing well.  She is doing better than ever before.  She is my counter to such hurtful irony.  She is my hope that no matter how embattled one is, you can still smile, laugh,  and live to triumph another day.  Irony is with me, almost my constant companion these days, yet I know that if I hold on, keep moving forward, irony will be replaced by other feelings of a life well lived.

Colonial Greed Resurfaces in DMC

Ever amazed at the limited view Europeans and Colonialists have regarding American Indians.  I met with the new Director of the HCOC yesterday and it was pathetic.  We have $10K to develop a new exhibit that would feature the Dakota and Ho-Chunk peoples.  Mind you this is just the preliminary stage.  We have a great possibility of procuring even more money for the exhibit itself.

Space, space, space.  DMC, DMC, DMC.  For those who don't know Rochester-ese, DMC = Destination Medical Center.  The new Director of the HCOC would rather tell the story of some Indian killer who was run out of town in Wisconsin, who landed in Rochester and strapped a log to his back and made the first street in the colonial town.  Whereas, we, the Dakota and Ho-Chunk, would like to tell the story about the trade route that existed from where the sacred pipestone is located, that travels through Indian Heights Park in Rochester, that continues to Jackson County, Wisconsin where the only known source of a particular stone is located that was used by our ancient ancestors to make tools out of that are similar to the tools found in the Schumann Cache housed in HCOC.  Perhaps both stories can co-exit at the HCOC, but only one story bespeaks of Rochester's continued importance on the history continuum.

It was my research into the life of GOM that led me to become knowledgeable about my people and the history of both the Dakota and Ho-Chunk peoples.  These are my grandparents people.  It is at times ironic to possess the limited knowledge that I do have, be able to back that up with funds and not have a place to share this knowledge of our ancestors.  

Of a truth, I think DMC has tainted the minds and hearts of these Europeans.  They have become befuddled by greed once again.  Their eyes have become filled with themselves and their hoped for gain that they can not see the value in the missing narratives of the peoples that will soon outnumber them in just a few short years. 

Descendants march on

This is a picture of Adelia and Hokie taken last summer when we went to visit GOM sites.  Dee lives in Belgium, WI.  I say Dee because Hokie passed two weeks ago.  Adelia sounds sad, but still the strong, feisty woman I know and love.  She is one of the oldest Decorah women in our tribe and family.  Adelia was Choka's niece.  Her father, Russius was Choka's brother in our way.  Not sure what kinship we are and that is my fault.  My Choka taught me what he could.  He told me all of our relatives as we traveled across WI, IL, SD and IA.  We are related to the Thunders', Greengrass', Little Soldiers', so many Decorahs' and the list goes on.  He introduced me to each relative and told me his kinship and mine, but I do not remember.  Of course there are those who will not help me learn or who will tell me how we are related, but that is okay.  I know we are related and that is all that matters now.  I will learn the kinships in time.

Adelia told me about GOM.  She told me that she was indeed the first and only female Peace Chief of the Ho-Chunk Nation that resided on Doty Island.  She felt that many tribal members were jealous of GOM's status.  She said many tribal members shun Decorah's today because of GOM.  She did not care.  She said she didn't maker herself a chief, so there!  I can assure you that Dee does not mind these naysayers, and if you cross her, she will give you a piece of her mind!  She did her own extensive research into GOM just as I did.  She followed every piece of archival information and as I did, grew up with the stories about GOM. 

Now that Hokie has passed, just as when so many of our Elders pass on, it reminds me of my gratitude for these amazing Elders.  How grateful I am for a Choka who tried to teach me the language and who my relatives were.  I wish I listened and learned more!  

I spoke with Adelia last week and it was good to hear her voice.  Her tone is sad, but one mention of GOM or our relatives and she was immediately strengthened.  She is a treasure!  We plan to meet up in Black River Falls this Memorial Day.

May Adelia be comforted in her loneliness for Hokie and her youth.

The map is hard to read, but it shows that my Dakota and Ho-Chunk ancestors lived in these lands.  There is no doubt about it.  We know this from oral tradition, and we can also learn about it from maps rendered by the Europeans who migrated here. 

Every now and then I am stunned, literally stopped in my tracks about some things.  For instance, my son's school, Century High School, ISD 535.  There are dishonorable men at this school.  They lied to my son and to me and to my husband.  They are not living up to their charge relative to his 504 plan/law.  One man is twisting the law so that the school will not have to do anything to equal the playing field for my son so he can participate in extra curricular activities.  Last season, they invited him to  play up a level, but didn't tell him that there were two practice times each day.  He only attended the afternoon session.  After two days of this, Coach Houghton called our house to say that my son never showed up for practice.  This was not true.  My husband, along with my son, spoke to Coach Drew because Coach Houghton was busy.  My husband said that our son has ADD and he often misses general announcements, it would help if you just check with him to see that he understands your expectations of him.  Coach Drew said yes.  My husband then said Coach Houghton called our home and said our son missed practice, he didn't.  He didn't understand that there were morning and afternoon practices.  Coach Drew said no problem,  he saw our son at practice and he would talk to Coach Houghton.  Later, in a serious meeting, wherein I stated that my son was being held to a higher or different standard than that of his peers, after more inconsistencies by these men, Coach Drew recanted his story and Couch Houghton prevailed; our son never attended JV practice.  My son was hurt.  I was mad and my husband was in disbelief that grown men would lie. 

Since my son has his heart set on being a Century Panther, I attempted to have 504 accommodations added to his plan that specifically addresses extra curricular activities.  The school would not budge.  NO they wouldn't add anything.  Why?  Ms. Molly Murphy said, "What will you do if we don't live up to the accommodations?"  I would call Ms. Strabala-Backus, my son's advisor and we would discuss how we can improve upon the accommodations or change some things.  Again, Ms. Murphy, "We know you still have some animosity from last soccer season, so I am asking you, what will you do if we do not live up to the accommodations?"  Oh, I get it!  The school is afraid that we might sue them.  Ah, I understand.  "We would sue, naturally.  That is all we care about.  We don't care about our son.  We just want to sue you. Honestly!  Is that what you are afraid of?  Is that why you won't add any accommodations so that he can have an equal opportunity to play sports to the best of his ability?"  Ms. Murphy, "I resent that!" 

Oh really? You're offended, how do you think we feel?

After another serious meeting, the principal wants it understood that if we play ball that there will be no suing.  My husband said, "You can not take away our due process, however we would like to work together so that my son can participate in extra curricular activities.  Confident of their position to thwart our efforts, the school district pulls out an expert on IEP and 504 plans, I think from their lower torso, because he was not very knowledgeable at all.  He didn't know that 504 plans are to be written by the school for the student to show what the school will do to level the playing field for my son.  You know what they get federal dollars for?  No, he said that he had 11 years of experience working with 504 plans and nothing would be added that would address my son's ADD.  No they would not add any accommodations that had an adult tell my son directly, changes that were made to the practice times, event line ups that directly involved him.  Uh, that is what happened before and look where it got us.  No, just tell the coach that he has  ADD and he will respond. 

Uh, no, that is what we did last time and he ended up lying.  Hello?

They sent a revised 504 plan using some of our suggestions, but omitting the school's responsibility in the plan.  Instead it spoke of things we can do as parents, things my son could do as a student, but nothing the school would do.  SAD.

I contacted the MDE compliance office and Adele was in total agreement with my take on 504 plans, and she spoke with Mr. Bakken from the lower torso of ISD 535, and he did not heed her advice.  SAD. 

Now it is on to the MDE-OCR.  Complaint has been filed.  Oh, and what is our resolution to this whole affair?  Is it money like the mighty Europeans thought?  No, it is that Century High School will add accommodations so that my son can play sports; Century will sponsor an information night for parents of students with IEP and 504 plans who want to participate in extra curricular activities; and lastly, that the school district will be required to view two presentations on system racism and persons with disabilities.

My ancestors roamed this lands freely.  They skirmished with other tribes at times, but there was honor, at least on our part, even with other tribes.   It is sad to see that these lands, my land, at least according to Corbell, are in the hands of so many dishonorable European people and they still see fit to treat us with little dignity.  To think that we will accept their rule of law or at least their interpretation of the law, which is twisted in their favor, and give up our due process, as long as they toss a few crumbs our way. 

I don't think so!

My gram, a full blooded Dakota woman who was exiled to Crow Creek and then to Niobrara and then to Santee, always told me that I was just as good as any white person, and I was no better than anyone else.  Be good.  Be honest.  Don't be afraid of hard work and don't let anybody push you around.  Don't fight.  Test their laws that they are so fond of and see where it gets you first.  Don't ever give up.  These were your lands first!

Amen, Gram.

My Choka did what he could to negotiate terms with Europeans, but when they were "crooked" as my grandparents would say, my Choka let my Gram take it from there.  She spouted off the law and was not afraid to speak her mind.

Thank you for your example!

I think GOM would be no different.  She was a  Peace Chief, but she was tough!  She did what she could for her people and so will I.  My people are my family and I will do what I must.

A descendant of Glory of the Morning, Vera DeCora Kingbird, my mother.  Father Henry Decorah and Edna Rave and Marie Edith Crow.  

I often wonder what our ancestors must think about the powwows of today.  I am sure that they revel in the fact that we can all gather together and visit, that we can compete or skirmish one another, and that so many people native and non-native come to see the gathering.  Yet, I can't help but wonder what they would think about the prize money. Scoffing at the same old winners, same old judges, all in beautiful regalia, powwows are all about the money, I said, "Powwows today seem to be all about the prize money.  You don't see hundreds of dancers at a traditional powwow."  Irritated with my comment, my mother said, "There are a lot of people out there who don't work, who can't get jobs.  They have degrees and everything.  There is a pharmacist out there, dancing.  You shouldn't say anything, if you don't know how it is for them!"  Not giving up, I countered with, "Do the same people have to win all the time? How is that helping the many people out there that are out of a job?"

When I was a young girl, I traveled to many powwows with my grandparents.  We went to Tama, Sisseton, Winnebago, Lake Andes, Crow Fair, Des Moines, Sioux City, Black River Falls and so on.  The reservations gave all the people breakfast, lunch and supper.  I still remember the old melmac powwow dishes that we used.  There was well water for everyone and a place to camp, no fee, with an electrical hook-up if you wanted it.  The MC wasn't crude or vulgar.  They talked and talked all day, telling of the news in Indian Country or telling clean jokes.  They would visit with people on the mic, announce who was here and where they came from.  We had contest dances that would NOT monopolize the entire powwow because we had the green corn dance, the snake dance, and others that helped us young ones learn how to do these time honored dances.  There were give aways to honor someone, a princess contests, and other special dances.  At the end of it all, if you didn't place in the contest, the hosting tribe would give you #100 pounds of potatoes or some money to get home on.  Now that was classy.

Little golf carts to transport you to and from your car is nice, but giving everyone something so they don't go away feeling bad or have a little money to get home on...well, that was classy.

Black River Falls, when they have a traditional powwow, well that is as close to the old ways as I can remember.  They feed you, sing the thank you song after every meal.  Someone is always feeding someone or honoring someone for something.  Water and electricity are there for anyone to use.  They have social dances and it almost makes me cry when I see the young ones trailing behind the long line of dancers.  They are teaching them the ways.  Once they had the gourd dance.  I remember doing that as a kid.  An older woman handed me a gourd and boy did I scrub.  I passed it off to another kid, but the older woman took it from me.  I guess it was up to her to decide who was going to dance.  BRF always had a round dance too.  Now that is old time.

I would say that GOM would enjoy the big gatherings, the contests, the magnificent over the top regalia, but she would insist that everyone learn the dances and go home with a little something to help them along their way too.  I am grateful that BRF, the Ho-Chunks have not forgotten the old ways.  Pinagigi!