Recently her niece performed in their yearly Butterfly Dance up on the Hopi Reservation. Of course I didn't know what that was so I looked it up and this is what I found...
Hopi Summer Traditions
The Hopi Butterfly Dance
The Butterfly Dance takes place in August and early September. The main participants are Hopi youth and young adults who are accompanied by a chorus of singers comprised of dads, uncles, brothers and in-laws of the dance participants. It is a beautiful dance and one full of color, splendor, meaningful song lyrics and contentment. Up to a hundred or more pairs (girl, boy) of dancers fill the village plaza.Maidens wear an elaborately painted headdress made for them by their dance partners. This headdress or "kopatsoki" as it is called in Hopi becomes a keepsake for the Hopi maiden once the dance has concluded. Their black mantas are adorned with turquoise beads and pins and hand woven sashes.
The boys wear loosely fitting velvet shirts that flow in the summer breeze and handsome kilts that are embroidered with cloud and rain symbols. Like most Hopi ceremonies, the Butterfly Dance is a petition for rain, good health and long life for all living things. The dance also recognizes the butterfly for its beauty and its contribution in pollinating plant life.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/exhibits/hopisummer/hopisummer2.shtml
This is a picture of her niece, Krissy standing next to her partner. The colors are vibrant and beautiful. I watched a group perform this dance on a youtube video from a couple of years ago. You really need to watch it to appreciate how wonderful it is that this tradition is still being handed down from generation to generation. In Arizona last week it was still in the 100's and that ground they are dancing on has to be extremely hot. Notice the young women are barefoot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCee1rmdzRs&feature=channel&list=UL
Thank you Vermetta for the pictures and allowing me to share some of the Hopi culture on my blog.
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