Indian tire dance
The Indian hoop dance is a dance form of spiritual storytelling in which up to 30 hoops are used as props at the same time. During dance, static and dynamic shapes or formations are formed with the hoops, which represent various animals, symbols and other (spiritually profound) elements. It is generally performed as a solo dance.
description
During the ritual-like, story-telling dance, animals (such as the butterfly, eagle, snake and coyote) are formed through the tire shapes. The circular shape of the tire has a spiritual meaning and is the symbol for the never-ending cycle of life. The Indian tire dance focuses on very fast movements in which the tire formations are constantly being supplemented and changed. The various formations that are created are either in the dancer's hands or placed over the body. The dance hoops usually have a diameter of one to two and a half meters. The tires interlock in complex movement sequences and can thus be used as a wing or tail attachment. The dance hoops are often hand-made and are accordingly made by the dancers themselves from simple plastic tubing. They are rarely made of wood and wrapped in colorful ribbons, according to tradition.
History of origin
According to the writer Basil H. Johnston, the hoop dance in the Anishinaabe culture was created by a manitu named Pukawiss, the brother of Nanabozho. Unlike the other boys in his clan, Pukawiss has shown no interest in running, swimming or hunting. Instead, he preferred to just watch the animals. Because of his otherness, his father is said to have drawn more attention to his brother Maudjee-kawiss. From this the name of the founder is derived, who from then on was called Pukawiss (the excluded / unwanted). From his observations, Pukawiss learned so much about the life and movements of eagles, bears and snakes. For this reason, Pakawiss preferred to watch them rather than kill them. According to Pakawiss, animals had a lot to teach people about values such as loyalty, kindness and friendship. For this reason, Pukawiss educated his community about the animals by imitating their movements (for example, by turning an eagle in flight, hopping through the grass like rabbits or wobbling like a fawn). He became a dancer and always tried to perfect his dance. He became known far beyond his village limits, which made other Indian communities aware of him: This is said to have made him a traveling dancer. On his travels he taught other Indian communities his art of hoop dance. Despite many admirers, he is said to have preferred to travel further to educate people about the philosophy of the hoop dance.
Pukawiss and his brother Cheeby-aub-Oozoo supplemented the dance with musical elements by using the traditional instruments drum and flute. Later, Pukawiss also added people's stories to his choreographies . He invented the hoop dance to convey his messages to people. The dancers became advisors with tires, which symbolize a cycle, which should show that people are responsible for their own actions and actions and that every problem returns to the responsibility of its creator. According to Basil Johnston, "the tire is also a symbol of the way in which calamity breeds further calamities and ultimately afflicts and torments those responsible again". Pukawiss may also attract the resentment of some imitators - which is why his costume and his skill at dancing with the hoops were copied. Like his father, Pukawiss' brother Maudjee-kawiss did not want to understand his art. During his performances, Pukawiss often provoked his siblings by teasing them. As an older brother, he is said to have teased her once too often by participating in the theft of the prize pigeons from his younger brother Nanabozho. Offended by this prank, Nanabozho is said to have torn down and turned over the rock under which Pukawiss had hidden like a snake. Pukawiss wasn't dead, but now he had a new job: to mock all those who are too proud. The members of the Anishinaabe community believe that they see Pukawiss whenever the wind teases the leaves and the ground, making them dance.
Tire dance competition
The Native American tire dance is officially recognized as a cultural heritage and has been the subject of several documentaries. Furthermore, it is cultivated as a living tradition, which is why tire dance competitions are held annually. The most popular (international) tire dance competition takes place annually in the Heard Museum in Phoenix , Arizona . Every year up to 80 tire dancers perform against each other and deliver a dance competition in front of more than 10,000 spectators.
The first international hoop dance competition was held in 1991 at the New Mexico State Fair. Eddie Schwimmer, a Cherokee from the Cherokee region of North Carolina, was chosen as the first tire dance world champion . For the second edition of the competition, the venue was relocated to the Heard Museum in Arizona and has been taking place there ever since. The first winner of the competition in the new venue was Quentin Pipestem of the Tsuu T'ina people in Alberta, Canada . The hoop dance thus became part of the pan-Indian movement and as such has become faster and faster over the years. What is also new is that many outside influences have enriched traditional culture, such as the influence from hip-hop dance and the now widespread use of tires made from industrial piping (originally the tires were made from reeds or willow branches ). Meanwhile, the tire dance has a large fan base that is growing internationally and is enriched by more and more dancers. The increasing (international) tire dance tours are also remarkable.
Women in the hoop dance
Although originally only a male dance form, women have increasingly participated in the hoop dance and have since taken part in the maturity dance competitions. In 1994 Jackie Bird (a Mandan, Hidatsa, and Santee Sioux from South Dakota ) became the first woman to take part in the World Hoop Dance Championships. In 1997, Ginger Sykes (a Navajo from Arizona) finally became the first female dance contest winner in the youth dance division. For a performance at Mount Rushmore , Jasmin Pickner ( Lakota ) took part in the award-winning PBS documentary "The National Parks: America's best Idea (2009)" and was the first Native American woman to perform a hoop dance in a documentary. In 2000 Lisa Odjig (an Odawa and Anishinaabe from Ontario ) became the first woman to win the tire dance competition in the adult division. Ever since their success, Indian women have become an indispensable part of the hoop dance.
See also
supporting documents
- ^ A b c d Dennis Zotigh: History of the modern Hoop Dance . In: Indian Country Today , May 30, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2009.
- ^ Johnston, Basil H: The Manitous: the Supernatural World of the Ojibway , Key Porter Books Ltd, 1995, p. 31.
- ^ Mary Kim Titla : Ho-Chunk man wins World Champion Hoop Dance , Indian Country Today, February 26, 2009.
- ^ Hoop Dance Winners Exhibition Performance . 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ↑ http://www.travelsd.com/Newsroom/Detail?id=90107