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An indigenous Lakota girl dressed in formal white buckskin awaits her time to join the ceremonial dance, her tight braids begin at the scalp and are held by beaded side drops, a low angle asymmetrical composition; behind her is a background of stylized Lakota Sioux symbols of the Bear, Medicine Wheel, and Tortoise painted on a whitewashed wall; earth tones, turquoise, shades of blue and coral
My husband and I just returned from a road trip to Rapid City, South Dakota, to attend the Black Hills PowWow, which is an annual three day non-stop celebration of community and tradition. The final large powwow of the year. The drum and singing circles form the spiritual and rhythmic center of the powwow, and there are dancing and drumming competitions. The competitive dancing and drumming is sometimes stopped by the "whistle" which is an impromptu call for a break in the formalities and an invitation to all the participants, their families, and spectators to come join in the dancing. When that happens the entire arena floor fills with dancers!
The U.S. government broke the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty after gold was discovered in the Black Hills, attempting to force nomadic Plains tribes onto reservations. This year is the 150th anniversary of the The Battle of the Greasy Grass (named the Battle of the Little Bighorn or Custer’s Last Stand by U.S. historians). This battle was a major armed conflict where a coalition of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors decisively defeated the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry Regiment. This victory was showcased as part of the "Who Runs These Hills" dance-off, which is a Saturday night Grand Entry segment of the Black Hills Powwow.
You can see that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLxjIMf-HGE
Following the scripted dance, the veterans had an impromptu version. The veterans (from all branches of service) who attended the powwow participated in this impromptu victory dance. It began with the male veterans, and then the female veterans joined the dance to make their own statement. I found this version particularly moving, especially since the women were participants.
You can see that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLxjIMf-HGE
There are hundreds of federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribal nations, which are 'domestic sovereign nations' within the United States. Their sovereignty pre-dates the founding of the United States, and they are recognized in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) as distinct governments. Tribal nations operate under "divided sovereignty" and through the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. federal government deals with tribes on a nation-to-nation basis, rather than treating them as state agencies or private organizations.
