Tribes Gather at Santa YnezPow-Wow
By SONIA FERNANDEZ, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Men perform the Gourd Dance at Saturday's Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow in Santa Ynez.PHIL KLEIN/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Mathew Zepeda, center, smiles during activities at the event.
A drum group performs.
October 7, 2012 8:13 AM
They came from all directions to the Live Oak campground, resplendent in feathers, brightly colored ribbons, jingles and bells.
They were ecstatic, they were lively; they were stately and dignified. They were the many dancers, drummers and singers representing various Native American tribes and they met in the round dirt arena for the 17th annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow on Saturday, the first day of a weekend-long event.
Dressed in full ceremonial clothing, dancing the steps handed down to them through many generations, the participants, who claim various fractions of Native American extraction, showed their native heritage and pride by dancing to trance-inducing drumbeats and soaring vocalizations.
Some were light of foot, others emphatic in their steps. Some twirled, feathers swirling around them, others paced, dipping in sync to the bass drum beat.
Each dance had a meaning: healing, or joy, or fellowship. Some dances were highly traditional, nearing sacred. Others were more modern, molding themselves to the times.
Men danced, women danced, children danced. All performances were meant to instill pride in the tribes' Native American heritage.
The powwow is not a traditional part of the Chumash culture; the word originates from the from the Algonquins on the East Coast.
However, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians organizes such gatherings to offer the community a look at the culture of the America's first peoples, and to strengthen ties.
"Our powwow every year gives us the chance to share our Chumash heritage with tribal people from around the country and with the general public," said Vincent Armenta, tribal chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. "We're grateful that we've been able to host this cultural and educational event for 17 years."
Though the gathering featured a predominance of California tribes — Chumash, Tolowa and Serrano, just to name a few — all Native Americans were welcome to join in the festivities.
The event featured rows of booths selling tribal crafts and clothing and Native American-style food, featuring corn as a staple.
Visitors came from all over, drawn by the communal atmosphere, the good food, the beautiful crafts and, of course, the music and dancing.
"It's like a cleansing and a healing," said Ramon Alvarez, who with wife Olga, are regulars, coming from the Los Angeles area every year.
The mood, the culture and the energy keep them coming back, Mr. Alvarez said. He and his wife claim Native American roots via Central and South America.
For Jessica Bonaparte, with Seminole, Apache and Eastern Band Cherokee ancestry, the powwow is more like a family gathering.
Radiant in a purple-and-gold brocade, her dance was in the style of the traditional "Southern Cloth."
"I've been doing this basically since I was a baby. It's always been in me and I don't ever want to lose it," she said.
The Inter-Tribal Pow-wow continues from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at Live Oak Campground, 4650 State Route 154, Santa Ynez.
email: