The Yellowhouse Dancers performed in Steele Auditorium of the Heard Museum in downtown Phoenix at 11:30 a.m. and outside of the Heard at 1:00 p.m. Narrator, commentator and emcee Navajo/Maricopa Lane Jensen introduced the troop members, including his 12-year old son Tyrese, two-time world champion hoop dancer. We watched in awe, captivated by the beautiful costumes and intricate footwork. Hopi drummers maintained the rhythms and told the stories in song.
"Not every dance is the same," Jensen told the audience of a couple hundred. "It's really different from tribe to tribe, especially in the Southwest, but the dances express the cultures of the people. It's how they pass on stories and traditions."
Before and after the performance, we browsed in the museum, reading the history displays and admiring the native American jewelry, sculpture, weaving and art. A newer disturbing historical display showed the treatment of Indian boarding school children in the early 1900's, when government officials questioned the existence of reservations. "Deeply disturbing," said Shannon, as we walked through the second floor area. Certainly not a subject of pride for Americans. From Inuit in the far north to Yaqui in the deep south, the Heard Museum displays the cultures and histories of every tribe. I wanted to shop in the museum gift store, but Andy reminded me, "No room in Little Red!" and we will be on the road tomorrow.
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