Thursday Challenge - Native American Culture

 Oklahoma was Indian Territory before it became a state and has the greatest percentage Native American of any state.  There are  powwows in many places during the year and Tulsa has two big ones.  Powwows combine fellowship, music, dancing, ceremony and native arts and crafts.  This gentleman demonstrated the eagle dance.

 He also did a great hoop dance.  He first threw down 5 hoops and proceeded to pick them up one at a time with his feet.

 Accompanied by drum beats he flipped the hoops up and made different designs with them.  He manipulates the hoops so smoothly that they glide from one form to another very gracefully.

 You can see all five hoops now. He twirled them around and at one point had all five fanned out across his back like a wing.

It is hard to describe how beautiful this is.  I regret that I did not get a video of it.  Describing it in words only hints at its drama.  This is only a peek at the richness of our Native American culture.

I found an amazing video on Youtube of a Hoop Dance.  It is a little long but stay with it.  Click on the full screen icon in the lower right hand corner so you can see it better.  This is the real deal.


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