Native American culture celebrated in Valley at Red Hawk Pow Wow
By JORDAN COHEN
news@vindy.com
BAZETTA
Dolores Tapia Santha is proud of the Native American tradition that has marked the 85 years of her life, 61 of those as a resident of the Mahoning Valley.
“I am a member of the Seneca Nation, and I’m always happy to talk about our history and traditions,” said Santha, dressed in brilliant-blue clothing, a feather protruding from her hair.
Santha, who lives in Missouri, joined other Native Americans for the annual Red Hawk Pow Wow at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds on Sunday. The two-day event celebrated the culture through displays of competitive dancing, food, artifacts and music.
Santha said “it’s up to individual preference” about use of the terms Indian and Native American. She said Christopher Columbus first used the name Indian during his initial New World discovery because he was searching for spices and other treasures associated with India.
“People call us Indians just because Columbus got lost,” said Santha.
The terms that Blaine Tallchief, 35, of Salamanca, N.Y., prefers is “indigenous” for the people and “nation” instead of the commonly used “tribe.” Others expressed similar sentiments.
Tallchief, a competitive Seneca dancer, was dressed in red, yellow and white punctuated by a headband display featuring a bright-red sunburst. He competed in a victory dance. He said performers consider their clothing regalia and not costumes.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.