FAQ - Spirit of Powwow

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO WRITE THE BOOK?

The actual writing took about three or four years. The interviewing, pictures and transcribing of tapes took a great deal longer! Gloria arranged the meetings and we interviewed at her home. The photos were collected over four or five years.

Kay & Gloria

WHEN DID YOU START TO LEARN TO DANCE?

When I was at school – I was taught Scottish, Irish, Ukrainian and Spanish dancing! I taught myself native dance by watching others and practising in my living room. My eldest daughter was six when I started, so it has been a while.

Gloria

DO BOTH OF YOU DANCE?

Gloria dances Women’s Traditional and travels throughout North America to dance. Kay is only allowed to dance in the Inter-tribal and social dances. However, she can not stand still once the drumming and singing starts! If she was allowed to dance, she would dance Women’s Traditional.

Kay & Gloria

WHO TOOK ALL THE PICTURES?

Kay did, although there are some from museums and are recognized as such in the book. Gloria’s favorite of her is from the Gathering of Nations Powwow taken by Clyde Hubbard.

Kay & Gloria

DID YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL A LOT TO WRITE THE BOOK?

Yes, probably hundreds of thousands of kms to 100’s of powwows over the years. Big powwows, small powwows, any powwow! Gloria travels to dance, not to write. She and Kay would meet at home and work there.

Kay & Gloria

WHY WOULD A NON-NATIVE PERSON WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ON NATIVE DANCING?

The first powwow I went to hooked me totally. I saw all these wonderful events happening and did not know what they meant. I wanted to know about the judging, drumming and all sorts of things. I discussed this with lots of spectators who knew as little as I did and we were all nervous or shy about asking. There is more to Powwow though as you will discover in the book.

Kay

ARE YOU GOING TO WRITE ANOTHER BOOK ON AMERICAN NATIVE POWWOW?

I would like to expand Spirit of Powwow to include the southern styles of dancing which we do not see in the Northern powwows. I will be writing more books – one of which will be about Mazie Baker, Gloria’s Mom. She has had and continues to have the most fascinating life.

Kay

IN THE BOOK THERE IS A POEM/SONG CALLED “GO MY SON”. WHO WROTE IT?

The song is very important to Gloria and she teaches it to her students at Eslha7an as a means of motivation. Prior to publication we tried very hard to find the writers or authors of it. Gloria asked at every powwow and every dancer, singer she knew. Everybody knew the song but not who wrote it. At the Call to Witness ceremony a lady came up to Gloria and told her she thought that the song was written by two students at Brigham Young University. She thought their names were Carnes Burson and Arlene Williams. We contacted Brigham Young but were unable to obtain any information. We also tried the Alumni website but were unable to gain access as passwords were required.

Kay