A confluence of Stories & Cultures
Pow Wow. First People.
Power. Diversity. Strength. Joy. All evident within each nation, identity and community. Watching the 2019 Denver March PowWow encouraged me further to believe that no person -regardless of their (erroneous) beliefs of superiority- can suppress our purpose nor can they deter us from enjoying or celebrating our heritage for long. My intent here is to capture that with respect.
Those who allowed me to take a photo were gracious and kind to tell me about why they chose to dance, or be a princess and that each design represented who they were. Hearing that for me is a reminder that these are not performances for our entertainment, but rather an invitation to participate in an expression of culture, history, pride, community that non-Native or non-Indian people can be respectful and mindful of.
May you feel the empowerment, renewal and joy of your identity. Click on the link for more about the Pow Wow Dance Styles.
I heard this song live for the first time in 2006. The song is “The River of Life” by Broken Walls. It did not play at the Pow Wow. I never forgot it and it left a profound impression on me, so I’m sharing a sample with you.
Jazz Festival. Five Points.
(2019). Cloudy. Rainy. Feel the music playing. Hear the people clapping. Feet shuffling. Dive into the history of Five Points, also called “Harlem of the West” where the African-American community established themselves in the 1870s. In spite of segregationist practices like redlining, refusal to issue loans for mortgages and business development, the area flourished with black musicians, professionals and business owners who called the area home. From the 1920s through 1940s, the rise of jazz and blues brought black musicians-who were not welcome to the city of Denver proper-to The Rossonian Hotel (also called “The Ross”, featured here). The walls of The Ross reverberated with sounds from local jazz musicians like Charlotte Cowans, Joe Keel, Charles Burrell, and world renowned greats like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, and Count Basie.
