American Indian Dance unites tribes in celebration of past, present

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The lobby of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe’s Ziibiwing Center came alive with the rhythmic pounding of powwow music as dressed tribal members moved with the beats and stories of times past and present.

July 3 kicked off a five-week series taking place each Saturday during the month of July. The initial gathering focused on traditional men’s and women’s dances.

“(It’s an) opportunity for people to come and experience the community,” said Chuck Butzin, tribe member and Ziibiwing Center employee.

Performance times are 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. in the Ziibiwing Center lobby and are about 30 minutes in duration. It is free to attend the event.

The performance immersed participants in Anishinabe traditions through dance. Audience members were allowed to participate with performers to catch a glimpse of an ancient but vibrant way of life.

“Our people aren’t stuck in museums and history books,” Butzin said. “It is a living culture.”

He has participated in community powwows and dances for most of his life and has performed at the center since he began work there in 2005.

“It was eye opening to see that Chippewa dancing is not just a part of history, but very much a part of Chippewa culture and daily life today,” Grosse Point junior Steve Repicky said.

The men and women’s traditional dance tells a story of creation, hunting and combat. Large circles are made slowly as dancers follow the vines and flowers decorating the wooden floor.

“All things in creation move in a circle and our dances are a reflection of that cycle,” Butzin said.

The powwow songs use wordless vocal chords, universal amongst the many tribal nations in the United States.

In this way members of different tribes can gather and dance without a language barrier, a tool for maintaining community amongst tribal peoples.

Past and present

Each outfit is designed specifically for each dancer, combining elements of contemporary fashion like bright, shiny fabrics with traditional styles such as turkey feather headdresses and eagle feather fans. The clothes represent the duality of the tribe’s modernity and continued reverence for its own unique history.

“The performers’ unrehearsed interpretation of tribal dancing made it very relatable,” Repicky said.

Saturday’s performance featured the Men’s Grass and Women’s Jingle dance, a ceremonious act of preparation and healing.

For more information call 775-4750 or visit www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing.