Native American Heritage Kick-Off spotlights traditional dances

Vibrant outfits with intricate beadwork and traditional dancing were accompanied by singing for LBCC’s first LAC Native American Heritage Month Kick-Off event on Nov. 4.

LBCC had this event for many years at the TTC campus, but this is the first year it had been brought to LAC.

The Wild Horse Native American Association shared stories and brought traditional dancers to display their culture, showing dance styles from various Native American tribes.

“We have been partnering with the Wild Horse Native American Association for several years now and it was a pleasure being able to bring them onto the LAC campus this year,” Director of Student Equity Eric Becerra said.

All performers had been learning their dances since they were young, with some incorporating modern aspects of dance such as hip-hop like the Men’s Fancy War Dance performed by Ba’ac Garcia, adopting new ways to tell a story.

_{Ba’ac Garcia crouches with dance sticks in hand during LAC’S Native American Heritage Kick-Off event on Nov. 4. Garcia performed the Men’s Fancy Dance with a contemporary spin, which originates from the Ponca tribe in Oklahoma. (Bella Schultz)}

“These dances that we learn are made up of different dance styles from different reservations and states. … I learned to dance from my uncle who passed away not too long ago who was a member of the Kiowa tribe in Oklahoma,” Garcia said.

Garcia is a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, whose tribal homeland extends across southern Arizona and northern Mexico, and has travelled to Paris, Berlin, and even appearing on streamer Kai Cenat’s livestream on Sept. 15 to share his people’s dance and culture to a worldwide audience.

The Wild Horse Native American Association brought 2019’s World Teen Champion Hoop Dancer Nanabah Kadenehii who is Navajo and has performed in many competitions with interlinking hoops to form imagery entirely up to the audience’s interpretation.

_{Nanabah Kadenehii performs a Hoop Dance which represents the eternal circle of life during LAC’S Native American Heritage Kick-Off event on Nov. 4. (Heaven Herrera left, Bella Schultz right)}

“The Hoop Dance isn’t necessarily a part of the culture but the style of dance originates from the Taos Pueblo region. … A lot of these dances have been adopted around different tribes,” Kadenehii said.

The dances performed showcased a story, being told and interpreted through the things the viewer percieves, whether through facial expressions, clothing of the dancers, or bodily movement.

“The Hoop Dance is a storytelling dance and there are designs made out of these hoops. … You’ll see me create designs out of willow trees and be able to see a butterfly, a caterpillar, eagle and a thunderbird but there’s no wrong answers and everyone sees something different. … It just depends on what you see and how you feel,” Kadenehii said.

With every dancer, vibrant clothing and fine details added to each dance, holding its own meaning, such as the jingle dress worn by Navajo dancer Kayla Rivera, which represented healing, for a Medicine Dance.

The kick-off ended with over 30 audience members performing a simple powwow dance led by the performers in a winding circular pattern to allow them to experience a Native American dance first-hand.

“We’ve had a very active Native American Indigenous collaborative student club and employee resource group in previous years,” Becerra said.

LBCC’s next Native American Heritage Month events are on Tuesday with a beading workshop from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and karaoke night from 4 to 5:30 p.m..