November 17, 2024
While furthering my research on the Native American population, I was able to watch an individual present a dance that is practiced and performed amongst many Native American cultures. On Friday November 15, 2024, an individual, Starr Chief Eagle, a Lakota Artist and Hoop Dance Extraordinaire from the Lakota Tribe, came to Briar Cliff University, to perform a hoop dance and to talk a little bit about her tribe and overall other Native American tribes. She went into detail about her regalia and the different designs stitched into it. She talked about the geometric designs stitched into her regalia which is a sign of the Lakota Tribe. This is how all Native Americans were able to tell who was from which tribe based on seeing the sign stitched into their clothing. She went on to clarify any misconceptions and one of them was what Native Americans main source of food was during the time of her ancestors. The misconception mentioned was that many of us are taught that buffalo was the main source of food for all Native Americans when that is not true. Buffalo was only a main source of food for some Native American tribes and that all depended on where they lived.
Eventually, she moved on to speak about hoop dancing. It was something that she has practiced ever since she was a baby. Her performance was a hoop dance that her dad had come across that was almost lost art of hoop dancing. Because of that, he practiced this performance and handed it on to her. With every hoop dance there is a story, and every symbol has a specific meaning to it. Throughout the history of hoop dances that were already created, those who perform it are allowed to put their own personal touch on it and make it their own. I thought that this experience has benefited me as I research the Native American population. I thought it was interesting to learn how every tribe has their own tribal sign that is shown in their clothing. I also enjoyed seeing the hoop dance. It is something I have never seen before. I can tell that it is something that is difficult to do and takes a lot of hard work. Learning more details about a certain population can help myself and others to have clarifications on any information that has been misconceived.
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