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The Coharie Tribe hosted its 56th annual Coharie Indian Cultural Pow Wow this past Friday and Saturday at the Coharie Tribal Center. All day Saturday, cars filled the tribal center’s parking lots and resorted to parking up and down the road because of the sheer numbers in attendance.
As the Pow Wow began to wind down Saturday evening, Coharie’s tribal administrator Greg Jacobs, sat and watched the final rounds of dances, and praised the “good gospel singing” that was being shared with those in attendance.
Jacobs said that in spite of the heat, “the rain held off” and the weather was “good.” And he called the annual event another successful one. He noted the cars which lined the road, and while unsure of how many people had come out, he said there seemed to be ”as many people as we’ve ever had.”
While the final dances for the Pow Wow were performed, Jacobs explained some of the history behind the different styles, first describing the men’s Fancy dance.
“Basically,” Jacobs began, “when our people were over in the wars and saw other natives dancing, they came back and adopted it into a Native American activity.”
He noted that the Fancy dance is more focused on showboating, with “no traditions” and “no ceremony” attached.
Jacobs also noted “how flamboyant the regalia” for the Fancy dancers was. “It’s not quite as natural,” Jacobs said, describing the Fancy regalia. “They’re here to entertain you,” he emphasized.
Jacobs then described the Sneak Up contest, “a traditional men’s category that I love,” he added.
“They mimic something that happened in their life,” Jacobs explained about Sneak Up dancers.
“It might’ve been a hunt…or it might even be they’re imitating that they’re in battle; they’re stalking the enemies, and you see them draw back their weapon.”
He added that the dancers will also mimic animals. “I really like to see the way they act,” Jacobs expressed.
“I think because it has such a replica of nature,” he offered as to why some dancers chose that format. “If you look at the regalia, they look like animals; like wild turkeys or deer or whatever. So, the camouflage and enjoyment of the hunt — or the chase — excites me because I was a hunter, myself.”
Jacobs elaborated further on his love for the Sneak Up dance.
“It looks traditional and natural. They’re out in Mother Nature, they’re blending with Mother Nature… It’s amazing, the charisma in their movements, down low crouching with their head down.”
He remarked “Every kid enjoys that sort of a moment and that feeling, and I guess that’s what I like about it. I love their regalia’s and the feathers — and the way the feathers flow like a wild turkey — or the way (the dancers) clop like a horse.”
Jacobs said he never had the opportunity to dance in pow wows.
The pow wows have been “a revival of the culture since the late 1960s and early 1970s, he pointed out.
The final contest for the pow wow was the Smoke dance, something that hasn’t always been done at the Coharie events.
“This is usually how we end a lot of our socials that we have at our community centers and long houses,” explained J.D. Moore to the audience. Moore acted as the emcee for the 56th annual Coharie Powwow and travels along the pow wow circuit.
The Smoke dance, Moore emphasized, “is the fastest dance. That will make your heart beat fast,” he said regarding the Smoke dance.
Jacobs told how the dance’s name alludes to smoke dispersing from long houses.
As the Smoke dance went along Saturday, the pace continued to pick up rapidly.
Moore asked the Pow Wow crowd after the Smoke dance, “Ladies and gentlemen, did you like that Smoke dance? Did you like it so much that you feel like the Coharie should have a Smoke dance contest every year?”
The crowd applauded in response.
“These people that you see here,” Jacobs pointed out, “they travel and they visit the pow wow circuit. Some of them are dancers, some of them are drummers, some of them are just visitors who enjoy it…and they’re gone every weekend.”
Jacobs impressed that the pow wows are all about assisting the future generations and young children growing up, and added that this year’s celebration was “beautiful.”