PowWow

A powwow was scheduled for today in Thomas Square, an open air park, an oasis of green with great trees. The woman in white shawl was dancing, having a "coming out" after coming home safe from military duty in Afghanistan. Her family and friends are invited to dance with her around a large circle outlined in the grass.
The little guy is a miniature of the elaborate fellow on the far right, who carried a shadow catcher and a tomahawk, among other paraphernalia. The little boy wore face paint. His father's elaborate feather piece behind centered on an open beaked raven.
Another dance was called the "potatoe dance". Each couple started with a potatoe between them in the forehead area. They had to dance to the beaten drums, the rhythms were speeded up and slowed down, and as long as the potatoe was not dropped, it could be salvaged between them. As the dropped potatoes eliminated couples, down to three, they also had to put all hands on the ground, and coordinate a jump and still dance in rhythm til one couple won.
There were items for sale, a tent to keep small kids busy, t-shirts, gourds and jewelry for sale, fry bread and other eats and one sign said Indian stories (selling books).
None of them seemed to mind the cameras; one guy was pretty aggressive in getting closeups; saw only one camera tripod (carried, not used).
It was a small celebration on an interesting afternoon.