Local cultural studies

[jhankins]

Do any of you engage in cultural studies and informational classes/demos and Pow Wows with local nations? We have an 800 acre reservation right here in my chapter area, and I've only seen a hand few of Arrowmen participate in the events that happen in our backyard.

 

We don't have a formal cultural studies committee in our lodge, but I'm hoping that could be a part of my service as an adult to the Order!

 

 

[eaglescout1996]

Not in that sense, but for our Spring Pow-wow in March, the Pow-wow chairman brought in a drum and dancers who compete in the Pow-wow circuit.

 

They held a class during a two hour period on the drum and songs, and then on their regalia and their dances. Then the drum preformed for our Pow-wow in the afternoon. Aparently the members of the group hail from various nations from the Southeast and Midwest.

 

Everyone recieved some very good insight, and a lot of us hope this is the start to something good. During the day we also had local lodge members teach courses on moccasin making, beading, ect...all of which had recently come back from teaching at CIS in Statesville the previous month.

 

I'd like to see a lot more local nation participation (or invitation for that matter)...it can only lead to good things in my opinion.

[Eagle92]

397 at one time had an excellent relationship with the Houma of LA. It waned a little, esp when we had a group of dancers decide to do their own thing. Lodge had to disband the dance team. When I was there, we were slowly rebuilding the relationship.

 

Current lodge is in the same boat. BUT one of the old AIA advisers is back and the relationships are getting reestablished. Heck 2 of our dancers are not part of a local drum, and may be on the next album. It just so happens that that drum came about from talks amongst folks on the front porchof the visitor's center at the local camp, or so I am told.

[Lisabob]

This is something I had often wondered about. How do OA dance teams know whether what they are doing is authentic? Glad to hear that at least in some places, there are relationships with the local folks who know.

 

Might I also suggest, for any interested OA boy scouts, that this would pair up well with the American Cultures merit badge? I'm a counselor for that - but in the 6 years I've done it, not one boy in my council has asked to work with me, and I think I'm the only counselor in the council. Seems like a natural for OA dance team guys.

 

 

[Eagle92]

Lisa,

there is a world of info not only in lodges, but also onthe net and powwow circuit. Plus go to any large OA event, ie a conclave or a NOAC, and you will meet some awesome resources.

 

Now grant you I've seen some folks do it wrong, and started off the wrong way initially. BUT after meting folks and talking to them, I was put onthe right track.

[emb021]

"Do any of you engage in cultural studies and informational classes/demos and Pow Wows with local nations?"

 

This would depend on both the availablilty of this in your area, as well as the interests of the scouts.

 

In my area, the local nations really don't do much in the way of cultural studies/classes or the like. What has happened is due to some members of the tribes getting interested in this thru local reenactments, many times meeting up with Arrowmen also interesting in this, and some good crossover involvement.

 

When it comes to Pow wows, most of the cultural stuff is more centered around the standard dance styles seen at Pow wows, which isn't native to our state, and less on teaching local cultural studies.

 

Now, what I do see is that those scouters (and some scouts) do really get into this area. They are the ones doing the research, meeting people who are knowledgable (both native and non), going to events, etc. Ideally, these are then the ones who present classes at lodge/sectional events (and hopefully at NOAC and such), and bring this info to the scouts/scouters interested, but not as hard core.