Nansemond Indian Tribe Pow Wow

Our friend Angela has a knack for finding the most offbeat, most totally amazing things to do in the area (if she had a blog, it would definitely be one to read!) She was the one who told us about the Nansemond Indian Tribe Pow Wow this weekend; on Saturday, James, Baby A. and I drove out to the Lone Star Lakes Lodge in Suffolk to meet Ange and her husband, watch the dancers, listen to traditional songs and stories, and experience a little bit of local Native American culture.

Awesome things about the day: the grand entrance procession, watching the jingle-bell dress dancers, a group of young girls whose dresses glittered and flashed and jangled as they moved in time with the drums, and the big swooping wings of eagle and hawk feathers that seemed to sprout from the backs of every dancer. I have a thing for feathers, and these were definitely striking.

We had the chance to join the dancers on the field at one point, and Angela and I grabbed Baby A. and hauled her out with us. She had a blast standing in the middle of the long twisting line of people and observing, until one very serious male dancer with a full face of black and white paint bent down to smile at her and sent her scurrying to find us in the throng.

In between dances, we ate buffalo wraps and traditional Nansemond bread and strolled through booths of brightly-colored wares. The quote of the day came from a mother of about four preteen boys who descended on a table of spears: "I'm not buying any shooting, stabbing, throwing, or killing utensils, forget about it!"

I think one of the things that surprised me most about the day was learning that the Nansemond tribe (along with five other Virginia tribes) are still fighting to be recognized by the federal government. A bill to recognize these tribes was put up for consideration by the Senate in 2009 but was put on hold. Until it passes, these tribes won't be eligible for the benefits that other federally recognized tribes receive. (To read more about what the bill means for the Nansemond and the Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Upper Mattaponi, Rappahannock, and Monacan peoples, go here.)

We had a really good day. Thank you, Angela!