09/20/2023
"How does the Anishinaabe worldview on dreams, smoke, and Spirit relate to contemporary powwow? How do dancers experience acts of transfer from Spirit through the liminality of the powwow arena? Dr. Meness's work centers overlooked spiritual and cultural philosophies coded in the Anishinaabe language. She demonstrates how worldview and culture remain unchanged through sound-based meanings in Anishinaabemowin. By exploring the connection between Anishinaabe concepts of smoke, dreams, prayer, and dance we can understand how a liminal place is created in the powwow arena where we encounter Spirit. The sound breakdown of the word for Jingle, zhiibashka’igan, reveals the spiritual philosophy that connects the Jingle Dress Dance to acts of transfer from the Thunder Beings, explains the significance of the spiral of the Jingle cones, and specifically instructs how the sound of the cones and original dance movements combine to bring healing.
Dr. Meness's inquiry uncovered a gap in contemporary powwow narratives created by eroding worldview through language loss and the insidiousness of gradual assimilation. In addition to being a significant illustration of why Indigenous languages matter, her work demands a call to action for Anishinaabe people to reclaim worldview through language, rebuild relationships with sacred Spirit beings, and re-evaluate what we know and experience as contemporary powwow."
'Descriptions and bio sent in by Dr.Meness'
*There will be a light dinner provided
If you are interested please refer to the link in our bio.
https://forms.gle/RqTNrQKHkVwrCbye8
