America's Cultures

As soon as I entered the hall, I heard the distinct sounds of a drum circle. The beating of the drum was so loud and strong that I could feel it, too. The music of the drum circle transformed the surroundings so well that I immediately forgot I was in a rather drab exhibition hall at the Richmond Racetrack.

The sounds and sights of a modern pow wow are one-of-a-kind and well worth a visit! Last November, I attended The Richmond Great American Indian Exposition Pow Wow and Show. It’s one of the smaller pow wows, with just over 100 participants. Big or small, pow wows are a wonderful experience.

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The music of a pow wow is unlike that from any other culture that I know.

The Drum: A group of men beat a single drum. This drumbeat represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth. With all of the men beating the drum in unison, the heartbeat is heard and felt by dancers and spectators alike. Even in larger and outdoor gatherings, the beat of the drum is quite powerful.

The Songs: The men of the drum circle sing loudly and passionately. Their voices are intertwined with the beat of the drum to create a truly unique sound. While some songs have clear words, many are partially or exclusively vocables. These vocables are symbolic and have deep meaning.

The songs of the pow wows reflect drummers’ tribal heritage and history. With 574 Federally-recognized tribes and at least 60 more that are state-recognized, there can be many histories, traditions, and languages represented. Vocables allow songs to be shared across languages.

Pow wows are a celebration of culture, and the drum circle is the centerpiece of the pow wow. Modern pow wows can also host competitions, including drum circle competitions.

The drum circles are also the backdrop for all of dance competitions. These competitions are categorized by dance type, sex, and age group. At one time, dances were distinctly identified with particular tribes or regions. Over time the dances have blended together, but some still reflect different regions of the country. For example, the women’s jingle dress dance comes from the upper midwest. And some dances are quite new, such as the women’s fancy shawl dance.

Dancers spend a considerable amount of time perfecting their dance. Just as important as dancers’ moves, are the regalia. Dancers create colorful masterpieces of beadwork and needlework that can incorporate traditional materials such as feathers, animal skins, and glass beads. The intricate detail of each design is truly magnificent and shows the importance of regalia to the dance. Regalia reflects the dancers’ individuality as well as their family and tribal histories. For me the regalia, especially the beadwork, is the most fascinating part of the pow wow.

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The pomp and pageantry of a pow wow is really wonderful to experience. A pow wow begins with the Grand Entry and ends with a similar ceremony. The audience respectfully stands as the procession passes, with tribal chiefs and elders in prominent positions. Leading the procession are the flags of the US and participating tribes. A friend voiced her surprise by the American flag having such a prominent place in the pow wow, given the historical relationship between the US government and Tribes. Surprising it might be, but it makes sense given that “American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the Armed Forces at five times the national average and have served with distinction in every major conflict for over 200 years,” (National Indian Council on Aging).

Generally, pow wow participants are eager to share their culture with others. I’m looking forward to attending an educational pow wow to learn more about this history. Pow wows came from the Northern and Southern Plains Tribes, and have evolved over time. Now they are pan-American Indian events. The Durango Herald and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival have good articles on the history of pow wows.

The history and current circumstances of American Indians is quite complex. I worked with Tribes for five years (2007-2012). That experience was incredibly eye-opening for me. I could fill many blog posts about the painful history and the current inequalities, but also about the inspiring and innovative work that is happening throughout Indian Country to strengthen tribal governments, build businesses and community service organizations, protect natural resources, build intergenerational bonds, protect native languages, and support cultural activities. Despite all I learned, I know I’ve only understood the tip of the iceberg: Each Tribe has a unique language, history, food, and culture. A pow wow can be a starting point for learning more.

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Outside of the pow wow dance arena, are vendors of all sorts. I’ve purchased many Christmas and birthday gifts from pow wow vendors. The craftsmanship is extraordinary. I especially like the beadwork, leather goods, and silver jewelry. One year, I bought a sculpted eagle for a Christmas present and it certainly outshined all other presents that year!

And I always look forward to delicious food, including fry bread. The great thing about fry bread is it can be savory (Indian taco) or sweet (with honey). No matter your tastes, I recommend the fry bread!

Resources:

Pow wows can be very large, like the annual Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, which had over 3,000 participants in 2019. During these COVID-19 days of restrictions, you cannot visit a live pow wow. But, you can go online and view some past pow wows, including activities from last year’s Gathering of Nations.

Powwows.com is a fantastic site for information not just on pow wows, but on many topics that can help you learn more about Native Americans. I follow it on FaceBook because they post interesting articles and videos, including live streaming of dance competitions. Recently, they posted a list of top movies about Native American life. Some pow wow-specific pages are: an intro to pow wows, a calendar of pow wows, and a description of pow wow dance styles.

Indian Country Today, which I also recommend, is a digital daily news platform. It covers a wide range of news topics, and has some interesting information relative to pow wows, including:

• Fancy Shawl dance origins
• Jingle Dress dance origins
• Duck and Dive (commonly rendered for Northern Traditional dancers and that originates from the Nez Perce and their history at the Battle of the Big Hole
• Changes in pow wow regalia 
• Honoring mind and body in dancing
• Changes in pow wows from over time

Other good sites for information are: Drumhop.com, Pow wow Power, and the Smithsonian page on pow wows.

The year 2020 is a momentous year! I hope, and I truly believe, that change is imminent. The mostly unlikely people, those who seemed certain that life in America was equal and equitable, are opening their hearts and minds; their eyes and ears, to the injustices that continue to plague our country. Organizations, like NASCAR and the NFL, that once catered to the opinions of the dominant culture are finally realizing that inclusivity is the right path and that racism must be fought.

The reaction around the entire country to the horrible murders of Mr. George Floyd, as well as Ms. Breonna Taylor and Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. These protests, spontaneous in nature, were born out of extreme grief and frustration with a system that is unjust. While past protests ended within a few days of localized activity, this is different. These protests spread to communities across the country (and the world) and included people of all races and ethnicities. This collective action shows promise for reforming our country. Although police reform is on the top of the list, the events of the last few weeks are changing the way we think and talk about race and equality.

Cultural and racial ignorance, which leads to inequality and hate, is why I started this blog. I wanted to encourage folks to learn about all of the people that live in this wonderful country, with all of its diversity. Please read the words of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and President Ronald Reagan on my page, Why This Blog.

For my second post, I was going to write about Powwows, but I’ll leave that for another day. Given the events of the last few weeks, it seemed more appropriate to talk about racism in America, Black Lives Matter, and what we all can do to make America great, for everyone.

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I want to challenge you to get outside of your normal social “circle” and get to know people who are different from you. Although it is difficult right now because of social distancing, there are plenty of opportunities through talking to folks you work with or live near, volunteering, or attending Church or cultural events. Keep your mind open. Listen to people and their stories. Don’t judge, don’t defend, don’t challenge. Just listen.

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I worked with a wonderful group of African-American women in my last job. They shared with me their experiences with racism and their family histories. One woman told me what it meant for her to code switch (changing how she expresses herself with white people versus black people). They shared their opinions of the Clinton crime bill (a few women appreciated that more police on the street made it safe for them to go to school; while others faulted it for mass incarceration and destroying black communities). We even discussed the differences in races when it comes to such mundane things as choices about clothes. I appreciated the opportunity to have candid conversations and I learned a lot from them. I miss our conversations, especially now.

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In addition to having candid conversations, it’s important to educate ourselves on others’ history, when that history is different.

I want to close my narrative with this: In the early days of the protests, there was rioting and looting that caused considerable property damage. Although I do not condone such actions, I understand that extreme frustration and heartbreak can manifest itself many ways. Sure, I was concerned about the property destruction; I was also concerned about the root cause – that innocent people were being killed. And, I was concerned that some people seemed to be more outraged over the property damage than they were by loss of precious human life. As the protest sign I carried read, if you want PEACE, work for JUSTICE.

The following are great sources of information for understanding where we are and how we got here.

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man – Emmanuel Acho has started a series of conversations where he answers questions about being a black man in America. It’s fantastic. Take a few minutes to listen to this first one, especially if you wonder why riots and looting break out during protests.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. narrates the history of African-Americans in this country in the series Many Rivers to Cross. I watched it a few years ago and I strongly recommend it.

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If your immediate reaction to “Black Lives Matters” is “all lives matter,” check out this short tic toc video.

The House I Live In is a must-see documentary that explains the war on drugs, which resulted in mass incarcerations, and the affect on black communities. You can view it on YouTube or rent it on iTunes, Prime, and other services. It’s absolutely worth your time. Another important documentary is 13th Amendment on Netflix, which explores the history of racial inequality and the disproportionately high population of African-Americans in prison.

Systemic Racism Explained is a video that explains why, after more than 50 years after passage of the Civil Rights Act, African Americans still do not have financial or educational equality. (It’s by Occupy Democrats. I’m not trying to promote one political party over any other, but it is a really well-done video.) Also, if you are interested in learning more about the history of housing discrimination, red-lining, and the Fair Housing Act; you might be interested in this podcast from This American Live, called House Rules. If you listen to this, you’ll understand why we still live in largely segregated communities.

Former FBI director, James Comey, writes in 2019 about confederate statues and why they are symbols of racism in this Washington Post OPED.

Once the country has opened back up and we can travel again, I recommend going to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC; the National Civil Right Museum in Memphis, TN; and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL.

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NPR has a blog covering race, ethnicity and culture. It’s called Code Switch. You can follow it through a newsletter, on Facebook and Twitter, or sign up for the podcasts.

Outside, the air was wet, cold, and windy. Inside, the air was warm, smoky, and aromatic. It was December in Virginia and Eric and I had just entered an Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The congregants, men on the left and women on the right, were captivated by the words of the clergy. Throughout the service several clergy members, led by Abba Michael, served the congregation; providing prayers, blessings, and holy water. Congregants, wrapped in their beautifully trimmed white cloth, were joyful and intently listening to the words of Abba Michael. It was the annual festival of St. Gabriel.

All photos on this page are by Eric Chang, echangphotography.com

I had come to this Church several weeks earlier at the invitation of Elizabeth, an Ethiopian woman who helped me a few years ago when I was teaching English to immigrants. She was getting her undergraduate degree in psychology, minoring in social work. She was able to receive class credit for helping at the community center, where I taught. I had several Ethiopian students and her presence bridged some language and cultural gaps for me. A few years later, I contacted her because I wanted to learn more about Ethiopian culture. As always, she was busy with classes, volunteer work, and family, including the coming birth of her first grandchild. But she was gracious and responded enthusiastically to my request. I had told her I wanted to share what I learned with others. She brought me to this Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Alexandria and introduced me to Abba Michael. They were both excited about the opportunity to share their culture with others.

Most Ethiopians are members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. So, the Church was the perfect place to start learning about the culture and traditions that Ethiopians in America practice. And here in the DC metro area is a very large population of Ethiopians. In fact, there are more Ethiopians here than anywhere else in the world outside of Ethiopia!

VISITING THE CHURCH

Eric’s and my first visit to the Church was to chat with Abba Michael. It was after a service and we were lucky enough to join him and other clergy for the post-service lunch. There we met Deacon Merkeb Zemba, who was to become our liaison as we learned more about the Church.

Eric and I attended three services at this Church – which has the longest name I’ve ever seen: Debre Kidusan St. Aregawi, St.Tekle hayimanot and St. Gebreal Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

The first service we attended was the annual festival of St. Gabriel, who in the Old Testament’s Book of Daniel, was sent from God to save three men thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar. Although we were strangers to the congregation, we were greeted warmly by everyone.

I quickly felt at ease. And this despite the fact that I mistakenly sat on the men’s side of the Church!

During this festival, the church was nearly overflowing with people. Clergy from nearby parishes joined Abba Michael to give sermons and blessing to the congregation. And there was wonderful singing and dancing by the Sunday School members – It was a wonderful time to be at the church!

CHRISTMAS

Ethiopia follows a different calendar than we do. I found this out after I asked a student how old he was and when he was born. He replied to both questions, but the math didn’t work. Then I found out about the different calendars and that Ethiopia is in a different year than we are. Right now, it’s 2020 in the US, but it’s 2012 in Ethiopia. In our September 2020, it will become 2013 in Ethiopia.

Another result of the different calendars is that Ethiopians celebrate Christmas 13 days after “our” Christmas. So, on Monday, January 6 at 10:30 at night, Eric and I went to Christmas service. Unfortunately, the service was to continue through the night and into the next morning – much later than we were able to stay awake. But we stayed long enough to sample the beauty of the service. It was another memorable and heart-warming experience!

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In preparation for Christmas, Ethiopians fast for 40 days. That’s 40 of the 180 days per year that Ethiopian Orthodox lay people fast to recognize various Biblical events, and about 250 days per year for clergy. Fasting requires excluding meat, fats, eggs, and dairy completely from one’s diet. Only one meal is allowed per day, and that must be after 3:00pm. I remember teaching hungry students during certain times of the year. Despite the fasting, my students came and participated fully in the lessons. I’m not sure I could have done so.

SERVICES

On most Sundays, the priest arrives as early as 4:00 am to prepare for the day. He is followed by the monks and deacons. Eventually the rest of the congregation arrives mid morning for prayers and the liturgy. Following services, there is delicious food for all to enjoy. It’s a full day of worship and fellowship.

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The church, with its beautiful and colorful paintings of biblical stories, provides the perfect backdrop to the congregation clad in white. The fabric worn by both men and women, netela, is a traditionally made cloth from Ethiopian cotton. I received such a cloth from my students and proudly wore it during the church services I attended.

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As with many Christian Churches, music is an important part of the Church service. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, however, they accompany singing with drums instead of an organ or piano. The Kebero drum is made from a hollowed out section of a tree trunk, with cow hides covering both ends. A drummer beats both ends of the drum.

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I truly enjoyed my experience at the Church. The sights, sounds, and aromas still linger in my memory. I will certainly return! I also plan to explore the Ethiopian culture outside of the Church and hope you come along with me!

RESOURCES

For more information on the Ethiopian Orthodox Church: The Ethiopian Tewahedo Church Faith and Order

For a historical look at the Ethiopian community in the DC metro-area: Why Is There Such A Large Ethiopian Population In The Washington Region?

For more information on Ethiopian community in the United States: Ethiopian Community Development Council