(March 13, 2016) Mission San Xavier was the site of the 2016 Pow Wow, a gathering of many tribes for Native American ceremonies, dances, music, and sacred rites. This year, 2018, it will be March 17-18.
Our local American Indians have their ceremonial princesses just like the Anglo-Americans and Mexican-Americans. Who knew?Colorful flag bearers here are set to lead the opening procession.Flag Bearers with the dome of the San Xavier Church in the background.The start of the opening procession has the flag bearers dancing to rhythmic Native American drums and chants. Very different than the highly formal military marching flag bearers that open Anglo-American parades.The men led the opening procession followed by the women.I got the impression that very little of consequence happens at events like this without the ladies’ approval.Following the ladies, the little children clearly were proud of their part in the ceremonies.I thought the Comanches were the most ferocious-looking of all the dancers. I should not have been surprised. After all, it was they who, several hundred years ago, drove the Apaches out of present-day West Texas and Oklahoma. Do you have any idea how fearsome you have to be to force wild Apaches out of what they consider their ancestral homeland? It took the technologically and numerically superior U.S. Army a half century to subdue the various bands of Apaches.One of the customs we notice at these kinds of Native American events is the respect they show for their Tribal Elders. It used to be that way among Anglo-Americans. Don’t know what happened.
