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The Rice Thresher
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by AALOK MEHTA THRESHER STAFF The Rice University Native American Student Association held its second annual powwow April 7 in Autry Court. Native Americans both from the Rice community and from as far away as Louisiana participated in traditional singing and dancing. "We're trying to bring Native American culture to the Rice community," Mechanical Engineering graduate student Powtawche Williams, one of the event's organizers, said. "This is an occasion for different tribes to meet and preserve our culture through dancing and song," he said. Dancers surrounded a ring of singers and musicians sitting in the center of the gymnasium, who chanted and played throughout the event. The event opened with a set of four songs and ceremonial gourd dancing. During a break, audience members sampled traditional frybread and visited vendors selling necklaces, pendants, ornaments, herbal remedies and RUNASA T-shirts. Attendees could also enter a raffle for prizes from the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, Compaq and the Campus Store. At the same time, dancers from the local Native American community finished dressing into bright colored, elaborate costumes, featuring feathered headdresses, decorations and jingles. Cash prizes were awarded to the best dancers in a variety of age groups and categories, including traditional, grass, jingle-dress and fancy shawl. "The contest grew out of the old days, when the warriors came back and someone pranced the highest," Sid Richardson College senior Ken Masters, another of the event's organizers, said. "This is on a lesser scale, but [the dancers] do get pretty competitive." Audience members also had a chance to win cash prizes in an open-participation dance. Competing couples had to dance balancing a potato between their foreheads, and the audience cheered for the pair they liked best. Several exhibition dances were performed as well. Native Americans at the powwow honored their veterans and presented gifts to the head committee and host organization before the night ended. The powwow ended with a closing prayer. Masters, a Cherokee, said that he hopes that RUNASA ensures that Native American people will have access to Rice and Rice to Native American people. The organization brings Native American authors and artists to campus, provides lunches and study breaks and does outreach work with the Museum of Natural Sciences. They have also sponsored a Native American film festival in the Rice Media Center. "The powwow is mostly for students that are here of Native American blood," Eeni Sylvestine, an Alabama Coushetta, said. "It gives them an identity within the culture." Williams also said she hopes the event raised awareness about Rice to Native American high school students. "I've never been to a powwow before," Wiess College freshman Ginger Walden said. "It's interesting getting involved in their culture." Funding for the powwow was provided by the President's Programming Fund, Powtawche said. Future plans include continuing to hold the powwow annually as well as expanding it. "These things can get as large as 30,000 people over a three-day event," Williams said. "We're just starting." - back - |
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