– After she dazzled folks who filled available bleachers by weaving in and out of hoops, Amya Whelan said the heavy winds that accompanied her and her fellow Wind River Dancers’ performance did not get in the way.
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FORT LARAMIE NHS – After she dazzled folks who filled available bleachers by weaving in and out of hoops, Amya Whelan said the heavy winds that accompanied her and her fellow Wind River Dancers’ performance did not get in the way.
In the slightest.
“I felt like it was majestic,” said Whelan, who amazed in weaving through hoops. “It made me feel majestic. It was challenging, but it was fun.”
Whelan and a handful of other dancers performed traditional Native American dance styles Saturday at Fort Laramie National Historic Site. The styles included traditional, women’s fancy shawl and jingle dress. Dancers included Whelan, Talon Whelan, Ciara Duran and Harmony, Trayshon and Harvey Plenty Chief Spoonhunter. Darrell Lone Bear explained dance styles to the audience between performances, while dancing himself.
Lone Bear said the drummers are “the keepers of (their) songs,” noting they do not have sheets of music or laptops with songs, but performed from memory.
Performances included Duran dancing to the “heartbeat of Mother Earth” as expressed by the accompanying drumbeat. Talon Whelan had to dance on one side of a circle what he danced on the other side to represent balance in life. Harvey Plenty Chief Spoonhunter waved an eagle head to keep away servants of the enemy -– the eagle is revered because it is closest to the Creator, Lone Bear said.
Lone Bear also showed patriotism, paying tribute to veterans while saying that when the Star Spangled Banner is played at basketball games, Native Americans put their hands on their hearts.
“We appreciate this country,” Lone Bear said.
When also asked about dancing despite the winds – one woman said her ancestors wouldn’t have danced in the weather – Harvey Plenty Chief Spoonhunter called it “nice Wyoming weather” and “mountain air” that “wake(s) up the spirit.” Harvey Plenty Chief Spoonhunter danced in similar weather before, he said.
The dancers came from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.
Park Ranger Steven R. Fullmer spoke before Lone Bear and the rest of the Wind River Dancers performed, speaking among other items about the Shoshone being victims of violence.
Attendees of the performance included at least one visitor from Canada.
