Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe member performing at the powwow. | Latoya Williams
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan brought their culture to share with the University, on Nov. 3rd, for the first time in almost 20 years according to the Director of the Multicultural Student Association Brandon Britt. Despite the low turnout the tribal members performed their performative dances and shared their culture’s history by way of song and dance.
“We are one of the only people to not have their history written, that is why sharing our culture this way is so important,” said a speaker at the event.
The speaker shared that holding powwows in modern times such as this is a way of keeping their history and story alive, which they haven’t always been openly able to do. It wasn’t until 1978 when the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA) allowed the practice of such gatherings, like powwows.
Prior to AIRFA, the 1883 Religious Crime code outlawed Native dances, ceremonies, and medicinal practices of any kind publicly. Doing so would result in fines, arrest, and destruction of their property.
The Speaker shared how their people were always forced to adapt to changes. They learned to adapt by celebrating through dances like the powwow.
The first dance they performed was the traditional dance called niimi’idiwin, the word for powwow, and jiingtamok, the word for a powwow/gathering. It was performed by a young man wearing the traditional woodland regalia or bwaanzhiiwi’on, according to the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary.
The purpose of this dance is to share with the tribe where someone had been or what he brought back to the tribe while out hunting and gathering.
In the women’s traditional dances, which were also performed during this celebration, a mother showed how the women would dance in order to honor the significant males in their life, such as their fathers, brothers, husbands, or sons.
Her lighter Magoodaas fabrics and adornments were muted in comparison to the darker, richer tones of her male counterpart. She brought with her a star quilt while she was performing, which was said to be the highest honor or gift one could receive.
The next dance performed was called the Men’s Fancy. “Fancy Dance” is a pan-Indian powwow style that originated with the Southern Plains Ponca Tribe rather than originating as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabemowin tradition according to the speaker.
During this dance, the dancer would keep up with the tempo and speed of the drummer and stop when the drummer stopped. Here the men showed off their strength, stamina, high jumps and fancy footwork. This style of dance meant to excite and amaze the audience achieved that within those that sat around the Rotunda.
For the Men’s and Women’s fancy, the regalia consists primarily of two main colors chosen by the wearer. Feathers worn around the back, waist, and neck are meant to be big and move the crowd.
The last dance performed was a social dance that required the participation of the crowd. This didn’t take much coaching as the members of the student body and attending faculty eagerly joined in, including OMSA Director Britt.
Before concluding the evening’s events, the speaker allowed for a Q&A that provided background information on what they prefer their dress to be called.
“We don’t like our clothes to be called customs. We prefer regalia or clothes,” stated the tribal member.
The tribal member also spoke about the heritage of their tribe and from where their ancestry comes, which formed the Saginaw, Black River, and Swan Creek Ojibwe Bands whose roots trace back throughout the Great Lakes regions.
