dance D A N C E - by Martin Stein them to c l e a r the floor. T h e M C also e x p l a i n e d the h i s t o r y The N o r t h S h o r e hosted an and m e a n i n g b e h i n d the dances w h i l e tribal elders ensured age-old practices were f o l l o w e d . It is b e l i e v e d the eagle carries prayers to the Great S p i r i t and the b i r d ' s feathers, w h i c h must be earned, are a v i t a l part o f most c o s tumes, i f one falls loose, the entire dance is brought to a halt as four o f the elders p i c k it up. to N a h a n e e , the P o w w o w C o o r d i n a t o r , e x p l a i n e d the dance o r i g i n a t e d w h e n a tribal e l d e r became i l l . In a d r e a m , the G r e a t S p i r i t s h o w e d her h o w to m a k e the dress and heal h e r s e l f w i t h the dance. C a n d l e snuffers are used i n t e r n a t i o n a l dance c o m p e t i t i o n and it d i d n ' t i n c l u d e ballet, m o d e r n , tap, o r tango. T h e dances were centuries o l d e r and steeped i n t r a d i t i o n . In A u g u s t the S q u a m i s h N a t i o n P o w w o w hosted o v e r 150 N a t i v e dancers a n d 9 6 d r u m m e r s f r o m a r o u n d the w o r l d w h o p e r f o r m e d for a c r o w d o f an estimated 1,500 people at the 7th a n n u a l S q u a m i s h P o w w o w . C r é e , Salish. Coast Salish. Blackfoot, O j i b o w a y and Japanese A b o r i g i n e s gathered to c o m p e t e against one another for p r i z e s and cash t o t a l i n g $14,900. W i t h an a d m i s s i o n fee o f $3 a n d an a l c o h o l - f r e e setting, the p o w w o w was an i d e a l f a m i l y event. A m o n g the c i r c l e d tents and i n s i d e t h é l o n g house, v i s i t o r s had a c h a n c e to e x a m i n e N a t i v e arts a n d crafts a n d taste barbecue s a l m o n and I n d i a n tacos (a p o p u l a r c o n c e s s i o n to m o d e m times). B u t e v e r y o n e w a s there for the d a n c i n g . P r i z e s r a n g e d from j e w e l r y to purses t o t a l i n g S 14.900 i n categories s u c h as T r a d i t i o n a l and F a n c y D a n c i n g , J i n g l e D r e s s d a n c i n g for w o m e n a n d G r a s s D a n c i n g for m e n . S o m e dancers are k n o w n c h a m p i o n s and. like rodeo c o w b o y s , make a l i v i n g f r o m t r a v e l i n g the c i r c u i t . A n d , l i k e rodeos, the w h o l e event w a s p r e s i d e d o v e r by a j o c u l a r M . C . c a l l i n g out to people by name, teasing t h e m about their w e i g h t and t e l l i n g s p e c i f i c s o n g , and re-bless it. Judging was based o n handmade costumes as w e l l as footwork. A n d w h i l e there was s o m e m o d e r n beadw o r k to be f o u n d , as i n the case o f one m a n w i t h crossed A m e r i c a n and C a n a d i a n flags e m b r o i d e r e d o n the his b a c k o f his c o s tume, the e m p h a s i s was o n t r a d i t i o n a l N a t i v e culture and dress. H u g e headdresses, bone breastplates and m o c c a s i n s were i n abundance and treated w i t h care. T h e s o l e m n i t y a c c o r d e d to the c l o t h i n g was a l w a y s b a l a n c e d w i t h a p l a y f u l ness d i r e c t e d towards e v e r y o n e there. T h e J i n g l e D r e s s dance was definitely a crowd-pleaser. G l o r i a W i t h a l l the metal h a n g i n g o f f their dresses, the dancers movements as b e l l s and the final result resembles a Native version of chain mail. TRADITIONAL Lennon ManyGuns, in the is 13, competes Teen Roys Fancy Dance. ManyCuns from we Siksika Tribe, Alberta. ft were still q u i c k and graceful. S a y s Nahanee, "We're thanking Mother E a r t h for letting us w a l k u p o n her. S o , w h e n they're d a n c i n g y o u can tell that all the dancers are very l i g h t o n