Today we headed out to the Rose Bud Reservation where Anne has family, to attend the big annual pow wow and fair. The dancing was amazing. The colors and individual creativity of the dancers' dress were incredible. To see several generations of Lakota, from toddler to elder dancing traditional dances together was moving and I was jealous admittedly that we in "western" culture have so little communal pride and ritual. Perhaps that's why we flock to arts like capoeira where these types of gathering and display are available for us.
At the Lakota pow wow the dancers usually dance with light footsteps and I can see how it has influenced the kids' ginga. I keep telling them to ginga deeper but that's not what they want to do. I think I might be starting to see the beginnings of the "gingalakota". The first thing a capoeirista learns of capoeria is the ginga; as she/he progresses the ginga becomes less mechanical and becomes their own and ultimately a signature of movement. The Lakota have their own footwork that is rooted, perhaps, in their traditional dancing. The hybrid of ginga and Lakota dance is going to be a sight to behold. I saw a glimpse of it in our first class with the kids when a little girl was doing ginga with the light on-the-toes footwork of a traditional dancer. It was sooooooo awesome!
You must if you ever have the chance attend a pow wow and delight in the beauty and strength of our true American heritage. Plus the fry bread and Indian tacos are slamming!!!
Maybe in the future we can show capoeira at one of these gatherings...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Cangaciero
we are following, step by step, this journey into the lives of the Lakota family. Thank you for sharing with such enthusiasm and love the details of experiences. It will be a good thing for a BVA group to visit and help share capoeira...we have so much to learn. O Warm regards to everyone.
One love,
Zensay
Post a Comment