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Last Modified: February 27, 2009Twin Eagles Rebirth Traditional Powwow

By Jason Royal, Shreveport.com

One of the most highly anticipated events of the year is taking place this month, and it’s going to be great for the whole family. To witness this uniquely southeastern experience, check out the Twin Eagles Rebirth Traditional Powwow, which draws top dancers from all over the country to present the traditional dances from a variety of cultures. The group is made of both Native Americans and non-Indian members, and their goal is to share traditions and culture with others in order to build understanding between cultures.

As part of this festival, you can expect to learn about traditional Native American arts and crafts, including beadwork, handmade flutes, jewelry, paintings, and many more. This traditional event often teaches a great deal about Native American culture, so we dug up a little bit of information about the relationship between Native American cultures and the world around them:

In many Native American cultures, the relationship with animals is very different from the Europeans. For example, they consider fish, birds, and mammals to be 'transformation figures' that have the ability to morph into humans. They are often personified in stories with human voices and other abilities. The Eagle, for example, is considered to have wisdom and courage that we strive to imitate.

The Eagle was introduced as the Principle Messenger of the Creator. They travel where humans cannot, and they see things that we cannot. In Native American belief, this means that they can see the past, present and future. Because of their height, we cannot always see them, but they wisely see and hear all. The Eagle is often seen as a symbol of courage that teaches us that we should be wise in finding changes that need to be made in our lives, and courageous in following through to better ourselves. The ultimate message that the Eagle teaches us is that we should not be afraid of the unknown.

Another place we are often afraid of the unknown is when we are most vulnerable, at sleep. We have all heard of dreamcatchers, which are composed of a net of string that has the magical power of filtering one’s dreams. Pleasant dreams are caught in the web for one to enjoy, and bad dreams are filtered through and dispersed into the universe, much like a prism. Because of the ability to eliminate the danger associated with nightmares, dreamcatchers are often effective in easing children who cannot sleep.
 
Saturday, March 7 through Sunday, March 8. Tickets are $5 for audiences 12 years old and over. Call 318 635-6769 to order. The event will be held at the State Fairgrounds Exhibit Building, 3015 Greenwood Road, and is presented by the Twin Eagles Indian Association.