More of a parenting question related to OA... NACCS

[scoutldr]

Having looked up the definitions, I think the word "costume" is more appropriate.

[Eagle92]

As someone who is involved on powwow circuit,I can tell you that if someone calls a dancer's clothing a "costume" depending upon who the dancer is, you can get anything from a verbal correction, to a slap in the face. I haven't heard the "regalia" ruling from national, and I've been my lodge's AIA adviser for the past 2 years and stepped down to assistant AIA adviser this year. For all the time, energy, and money that I've spent on my dance clothes, as well as the gifts that I've received, I would be HIGHLY insulted if someone called my stuff a "costume." There is a meaning to every item that I am wearing.

 

If a ceremony team takes the time to do the research and make the articles that they will be wearing correctly, I wouldn't call it a costume either. Again there are articles that have specific social meanings.

[Liz]

I'll consider it an "urban legend," then. Certainly it's not something our local lodges have changed.

 

I have been involved in historical reenactment groups, and I would also be offended if someone called what I have carefully researched and crafted a "costume." I probably wouldn't correct someone, but I'd think maybe they didn't understand. A "costume" is what someone buys cheap or throws together and shows up at an event in, as a costumed observer. "Garb" is what we call the historical *clothing* which has been painstakingly put together based on historical paintings, tailors' books, and rare remaining fragments in museums.

 

So... I can see how official wording for what the OA so carefully constructs can have a lot of meaning for people. I know my boys would never dare to just "dress up" in some kind of stereotypical "injun" outfit for an OA (or any other) event.

 

-Liz

[SWScouter]

I was at a LLD (Lodge Leadership Development) this past weekend. If I remember right, the term regalia is to be replaced with NACA for Native American Ceremonial Attire. I did not make this up.

[Eagle92]

SW,

No mention of NACA at my LLD a few weeks back. Guess when I dance, I'm wearing NADA (Native American Dance Attire)

 

Seriously though if you ever go to a non-OA powwow, please refer to the clothing as regalia or outfit. Never costume.

[Hal_Crawford]

Liz:

Please remember that costumes refers to more than just the cheap stuff they sell at Halloween. Call your clothes garb if you want but please don't disparage the word "costume".

 

I work in the theatre and supervise a couple of highly skilled costumers who do all the things you describe and then some. They are well versed in the design and construction of a wide variety of period styles from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans to the clothing of today. One has a Master of Fine Arts in Costume Design, the other has a professional wardrobe background in film and TV including including major motion pictures and work for HBO. Both have made careers of costuming. I have nothing but respect for them and their craft.

 

 

Sometimes even professional costumes are cheap (a movie might use thousands and not everyone is in the foreground) but they are often quite elaborate, expensive and have to be built to withstand more abuse than would happen in real life. Sometimes they are wrong, Showtime's the Tudors while entertaining messes up the costumes as badly as they do the history. Good costumes should be historically correct in every way (unless they are required to do things that historical garments would not like quick changes) and often actually antique garments. Costumes are rarely cheap.

 

Some parts of a costume might be called regalia, at least by the dictionary definition but I've never met anyone in the industry who called what they make garb; never heard of anyone earning an MFA in garb; never heard of anyone winning an Oscar, a Tony or an Emmy for garb and I've never seen the word garb in a theatre program or in the credit crawl.

 

Sorry about the rant.

YIS,

Hal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scoutldr]

What's wrong with just using the English language as it's intended, rather than how people THINK it is? Reminds me of the furor over the word "niggardly" by those ignorant of the language of our land.

 

costume

NOUN: 1. A style of dress, including garments, accessories, and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period, or people. 2. An outfit or a disguise worn on Mardi Gras, Halloween, or similar occasions. 3. A set of clothes appropriate for a particular occasion or season.

 

regalia

PLURAL NOUN: (used with a sing. or pl. verb) 1. The emblems and symbols of royalty, such as the crown and scepter. 2. The rights and privileges of royalty. 3. The distinguishing symbols of a rank, office, order, or society. 4. Magnificent attire; finery.

 

So I guess either word could be appropriate...depending on who it is you're impersonating.

[Eagle92]

Hal and SctLdr.

The reason costume is not to be used, especially on the powwow circuit, is because of the second defination "2. An outfit or a disguise worn on Mardi Gras, Halloween, or similar occasions." which is what most people think of when they hear the word costume. Trust me it is considered an insult. Yes I know the true meaning of costume, vis-a-vis def.1,as my sis-in-law does theatrical costumes on the side and in fact has helped me with my regalia. It is definately an art form. BUT again in Native American circles, costume is a No no.

 

The reason why regalia is prefered is because of the 3rd and 4th definitions, " 3. The distinguishing symbols of a rank, office, order, or society. 4. Magnificent attire; finery." Grant you most ceremony teams don't know the meaning of what they are wearing. Some teams do their research, know the meaning of what they are wearing, and wear it properly. I'm trying to instill that sense of knowledge within my lodge.

 

As for dancers, almost every item has some significance, either to the individual dancer, or historical significance to the dance style. From the roach feather on top of my head, down to the beadwork patterns on my mocs, everything has some significance. And when you get dancers who are members of the various Native American societies, certain items they have ARE "symbols of rank, office, order, or society." For example, I will never carry a dance stick with beadwork on it when I dance in one dance style, because it is a symbol of office. It would be very rude and insulting for me to carry it.

 

Sorry to rant, but the terminology DOES mean something to native cultures. That's one reason why national stated "costumes" was a no no back in the 80s. Native American groups told national that they consider the term impolite and rude, and asked us to call the clothing what they call it: regalia. Trust me the word "costumes" and some things that some OA dancers have done/do are why the OA has a low reputation with many native American groups.

(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[emb021]

As another re-enactor I'd have to echo the comments of Eagle92 & Liz about how we look at 'regalia' vs 'costume'.

 

theater/movie/tv costumes are just that: costumes. They seldom work to achieve the accuracy that most in the re-enactor (and to a similiar degree pow-wow) world does. They are more interested in have it look accurate, then that it is made accuractly or with the correct materials, something that IS important to any good re-enactor/pow-wower.

 

In fact, in my neck of the woods, most of the re-enactors are not enamored of efforts by tv/film groups to try to get us involved in their world. They typically want to take advantage of the hard work & effort we put into our outfits, but without any recompense. Too often we have wind up lend out our outfits or items, only to have them be returned, but damaged, or not returned. So we are not impressed with people who deal with 'costumes' in that way.

 

 

[Liz]

Just an update -- I sent my son to the activity, and he came back really jazzed. He had a lot of fun, learned a lot, made some cool crafts, and even bought a bead loom.

 

Thanks, All. :-)

 

-Liz