MATC powwow
After 5-year hiatus, college brings back tradional event
JOSHUA WOLFF, Clarion Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Entertainment
"It's more of a community event," boasts Redfield. "This is not just a student event."
Redfield's point is easily made by the many different generations in attendance. The very old and very young alike could be seen in and around the dance arena. This sense of community, Redfield says, was missed in the years that MATC didn't have a powwow.
The dance arena is a large opening in the middle of the powwow. In the very center of the dance arena are the drum groups, which consist of several drummers and singers sitting in a circle. The area around the drum groups is for dancing.
With the exception of a few ceremonial dances, everyone is invited to dance. During these community dances is when the vast diversity of the event is revealed. You can see young dancing next to old, people dressed in full Native American ceremonial dress dancing next to people in Milwaukee Brewers T-shirts, and many different ethnic groups dancing next to each other.
"Where else would you see this much diversity," asks Richards with a huge smile on her face. "It's very spiritual. You can feel it in your chest with the drum."
The co-host drum groups of this event were the Pipestone Singers, A group from the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, in Hayward, Wis, and the group Straight Across from Green Bay, Wis. Other invites were the Wisconsin Dells Singers, Madtown Singers, Medicine Rock Singers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Wunk Sheek Singers.
The event coordinators have already set a date for next years powwow. It will be held on April 24, 2009. There is already great excitement for next year's event, as the award winning, world champion drum group, the Northern Cree Singers from Alberta, Canada have been booked to perform.
Redfield's point is easily made by the many different generations in attendance. The very old and very young alike could be seen in and around the dance arena. This sense of community, Redfield says, was missed in the years that MATC didn't have a powwow.
The dance arena is a large opening in the middle of the powwow. In the very center of the dance arena are the drum groups, which consist of several drummers and singers sitting in a circle. The area around the drum groups is for dancing.
With the exception of a few ceremonial dances, everyone is invited to dance. During these community dances is when the vast diversity of the event is revealed. You can see young dancing next to old, people dressed in full Native American ceremonial dress dancing next to people in Milwaukee Brewers T-shirts, and many different ethnic groups dancing next to each other.
"Where else would you see this much diversity," asks Richards with a huge smile on her face. "It's very spiritual. You can feel it in your chest with the drum."
The co-host drum groups of this event were the Pipestone Singers, A group from the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, in Hayward, Wis, and the group Straight Across from Green Bay, Wis. Other invites were the Wisconsin Dells Singers, Madtown Singers, Medicine Rock Singers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Wunk Sheek Singers.
The event coordinators have already set a date for next years powwow. It will be held on April 24, 2009. There is already great excitement for next year's event, as the award winning, world champion drum group, the Northern Cree Singers from Alberta, Canada have been booked to perform.
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