Honor The Elders and Teach The Young

After church this past Sunday, we went to an Inter-Tribal PowWow held at the Apache Gold Casino on the San Carlos Reservation just east of Globe. 

This was a first Pow-Wow for Mike, but I attended one a few years back in Casa Grande.  I came away hoping that all cultures find ways in which to honor the elders and teach the young.  The Pow Wow certainly does that for the Native American Tribes.

There were old hands holding fans and gourds while dancing,

and others grasping the wheels of her chair.

 

War weary hands of the Apache Veteran's group presented the colors.

Mom's hands put the finishing touches on her son's costume.

 Hands of the older dancers rested on their hips.

 

Dad's hands carried the youngest

and another dad held tightly to his daughter's hand.

The hands of one of the young male dancers was engaged in texting.

Grandma held the hand of a little one.

 

Some of the younger warrior dancers put their whole heart, soul, and hands and feet into the dance.

 

Ladies of all ages and in all types of clothing paraded in with fellow tribe members.

This was the Head Male Dancer (a truly coveted position) from the Tucson area.

This looked like three generations of proud women with the adults caught in an emotional moment.

 

Adorable costumes on Natives of all ages.

And they all watched respectfully as The Colors were brought to the stage.

As the festivities continued, some of the colors were a blur but the image of the day remains clear in my mind - it was a true celebration of heritage, a time to honor the elders and teach the young.