Friday, October 7, 2011

BLACK LODGE SINGERS Pow Wow

The BLACK LODGE SINGERS - ASK YOUR MOM FOR FIFTY CENTS Song.

POWWOWs - Native American - if you have never been to one, you MUST go sometime, they welcome visitors, and it's a tremendous experience. One of my favorite singing groups is Black Lodge Singers. They weave kids songs into their powwow songs so kids will have fun too, listen carefully to this one.  It's fun for the kids and hilarious to adults too.

"Ask Your Mom For Fifty Cents, Fifty Cent, Fifty Cents
to watch the fat man jump the fence

heeeeeeyah,
He jumped so high he touched the sky, never came down 'til Fourth of July
heeeyaahh"  repeat

If you search YouTube for Black Lodge Singers you'll find lots of both kid oriented powwow songs and traditional and current powwow songs.  I like them all.  I also like a new silly kind of powwow dance called the jingle dance.  Dancers, usually male, put on a shirt covered in bells, making themselves look female and ridiculous, and they goof around the dance circle entertaining everyone with their antics.  I also enjoy powwow videos where native americans film candid videos of non indians who get carried away by the music and attempt to dance around like native americans.  Apparently this is hilarious to all.  AmerIndians have a superb, complex and wicked sense of humor, very highly developed.
 Black Lodge Singers - Elmo's World and Old MacDonald Had A Farm with film

I have many singing groups I admire, Northern Cree is another.  I tend to enjoy traditional powwow music the most, not new age flutes and gongs.  I started going to Powwow's in 1970ish, and I also volunteered at the Heart of America Indian Center when it first opened in KC.  My mother arranged to have powwow music and dancing demonstrations at three of the grade schools she taught at in the 70's, the dancers would come from Haskell.  I love native americans of all kinds and love to read about their history and culture.
Black Lodge Singers - Mickey Mouse Minnie Mouse Pluto Too, They're All Movie Stars At Disney Land

I once attended a Powwow in Kansas where one of the grandsons of Crazy Horse was there.  First time I tasted Indian Fry Bread and pumpkin bread.   There are powwows all over the country all the time, just check the internet.  Unless you or one of your immediate relatives is actually on the official list of tribal members of one of the recognized tribes, it's best not to even mention any native american ancestry you think you may have, unless you know the person well you are talking to.  It's easy to offend, because non-natives rarely know what they are talking about.  Take the time to become slowly educated first.  Be respectful.  And WHATEVER you do, NEVER say you have an "Indian Princess" in your ancestors.  LOL!  There is no such thing.  I once worked with an awesome native american guy, John Livingston, a member of the Peoria Tribe, he was one of the funniest guys I've ever known, I sure miss him.  Can't seem to find him on the internet, so if you read this John, give me a shout!  He'd always grouse whenever anyone said "hey! I've got Cherokee blood!".  He'd say "yeah, you and every other person in the United States says that, when only a tiny fraction actually do."  He'd sure get sick of people saying they were Cherokee.  :)  He helped design his tribal logo.

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