Main Travel

.... featuring New York area weekend trips with James and his Mom as they search for fun, excitement and learning adventures! ....

Indian Pow Wow !

Did you know that there are hundreds of Native American tribes in America?

If you ever get a chance to go to a Pow Wow, you should go. We heard stories told by Native American storytellers, Joe Cross and Tchin, in front of an actual Tee-pee.

There was drum music and flute playing, and contests. We got to see dancers from many local tribes and some from Mexico. They were awesome. They did the hoop dance, jingle dance, fancy dance, and lots more.

My whole family got up and danced a traditional friendship dance with the dancers. That was fun. There were dancers there from Mexico's Mexica (Aztec) Tribe and they did a traditional fire dance. All the dancers were wearing traditional ceremonial dress. They had some pretty cool outfits on. It was great. We ate some Native American food, and fry bread with honey was my favorite. We saw all kinds of handmade jewelry, and instruments, and beaded stuff. Everything was really very cool.

I also met Jennifer Pena this weekend. She is a falconer who travels all around with her Dad, a master falconer, and their hawks and falcons and owl. Did you know that Falconry is an ancient hunting sport? Very few ladies are doing this. Jennifer did a demonstration of falcon hunting. She let the falcon fly away then she called it to hunt by saying, "HoHo". The raptor swooped out of the trees, went after the fake rabbit and bam! It's snack time.

Jennifer said that the birds have a choice every time she lets them fly. They could keep going but because they develop a relationship of trust the raptors come back. Falconry is a serious sport that requires a great love and respect for the birds. It takes like seven years to become a master falconer. She said you have to live the sport it is not a part time thing. Jennifer feeds her raptors chicken, with the feathers and bones, yummy. They need the feathers and bones, though, to stay healthy. I don't think I'll complain about eating veggies anymore!

What Mom says: We went to a Pow Wow sponsored by the RedHawk Native American Arts Council to promote awareness, fight stereotypes and showcase native artists work. They sponsor several pow wows a year. We went to the Pow Wow at FDR STATE PARK, Yorktown Heights, New York. The ride was great and very scenic to the two-day event which included Saturday & Sunday, $10 Adults $5 Kids/Seniors, Kids Under 6 free, $6 parking fee.

Everyone had a great time. The dancers were beautifully dressed and amazing to watch. The hoop dance was unbelievable. The fire dancers were really larger than life. The story tellers were fantastic, They captivated the entire audience with their antics and tales. The birds of prey were just beautiful to watch. The drum music was astounding, you could really feel the rhythm in your veins. The flute music was mesmerizing, The beautifully intricate art work and bead work, the food and aromas everything was just awesome. The emcee was funny and entertaining and encouraged audience participation. They had people up and dancing, having a great time. We weren't even thinking about how silly we might look, we were just loving the experience. This is a family experience not to miss.

About the authors: James is the oldest of 4 kids. Mom is their Mother, a children's writer, educator & photographer. They live in New York with their Dad and pet dogs, cats, geckos, and turtles.

also see in Holidays/Observances -> Native American Heritage Month