Cultural celebration in Idaho

POST FALLS – Tribal dancers flooded into a grassy arena with the click-clacking of beads, the jingling of bells and more colors than a rainbow Saturday for the grand entry of Julyamsh.

More than 550 quick-stepping, twirling native dancers from 102 tribes circled the paddock area between temporary bleachers for the start of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s encampment and powwow.

The tribal gathering at the Greyhound Park was a feast for the eyes and ears, with competitive drummers playing for competitive dancers who are judged on the authenticity of their outfits as well as their steps. Judged too, are the competitive horseback riders who lead the parades into the dance arena.

The synergy of that competition may be a key to the success of Julyamsh, which in seven years has become the largest powwow in the region. Over the three-day event, as many as 60,000 people may come through the gate to watch or participate in some part of the events, said Dave Matheson, powwow chairman.

Matheson, who is also chief executive officer of Coeur d’Alene Tribal Gaming Enterprises, said Julyamsh invites some of the best drummers, to attract the best dancers, who draw the most spectators.

“It all feeds off each other,” he added. “The vendors like to be where there are a lot of shoppers, and the shoppers like to go where there are a lot of vendors.”

As of midday Saturday, a total 625 dancers had registered to compete in at least one category of the many dancing competitions. There were young girls in jingle dresses, so named because of the 365 cones that clatter with each step, and men in fancy dance outfits with feathers and strips of fabric that twirled as the dancers spun. There were categories for every age from pre-school to senior citizens, although many dancers come just to dance and don’t compete, organizers said.

Dance competitions for all ages and all categories continue today, with the finals scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Dancers and horseback riders make their own outfits with authentic materials. Children often have some items passed down from grandparents.

“Anybody can just go out and buy stuff,” said Jack Bodner as he prepared Lucky, his wife’s horse, before the afternoon’s horse and rider procession. “Everything here has some connection with us and the actual culture.”

His wife, Brenda, covered the wooden saddle “tree” with hand-stitched buckskin. Along with blankets, Lucky sported ermine skins, a hawk feather and elk dew claws.

Brenda Bodner said her outfit – which included a long red dress, caribou antler buttons and beaded bags – is a combination of tribes and generations. The bag with the large green beaded frog is from her people, the Carrier Tribe, in central British Columbia and about 40 years old. The beads on her moccasins are at least that old, and were sewn onto new skins when the old ones wore out.

This Julyamsh is Brenda Bodner’s third. “I’m hooked,” she said.

But she has made some adjustments to her outfit. In previous years, she wore the traditional clothing of her tribe, which included a hide vest and mukluks.

“When it’s 95 degrees outside, that doesn’t make much sense,” she said.

The powwow is the last weekend of July, which is often one of the hottest of the year. Dancers and drummers generate even more heat as they pound and twirl, so Matheson said organizers are careful to make sure there’s plenty of water to keep them hydrated.

But complaints about the heat are rare, he added.

“Our grandparents never complained about the weather,” he said. “Hot, cold, rain, wind, they told us, ‘Go along with it.’ “

For spectators who are less accepting of the weather, there’s always the air-conditioned grandstands of the Greyhound Park, where dancers can be watched on the small televisions that used to show dog races.

Julyamsh continues today from noon to 10 p.m.. Admission is free, but parking is $5 per vehicle.