BUTTE — You may have been to a powwow before and seen the elaborate regalia the dancers wear but did you know that it takes months and sometimes years to make those looks?
"It's powwow time here in Butte and I’ve been working on outfits for my nephew and myself and my children for years now trying to get them all prepared for the powwows," says John Bercier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Cree.
Bercier grew up in Butte and he has lots of memories of Aaron Perry, an elder who once ran the North American Indian Alliance in Butte.
He introduced Bercier and other Native youth to powwows across the region. He would call up Bercier's mom and tell them to get their sleeping bags and a change of clothes ready because they were heading to a powwow.
"I’m honored to be Native. Honored to be part of the Tribe, although my tribe isn’t here but being an Urban Indian has been kind of a difficult thing in keeping our traditions alive because we’re not immersed in the culture like they are on the reservations," says Bercier, he adds he doesn't want the kids to lose their traditions.
At the Butte Native Wellness Center, Bercier works alongside his mom and 10-year-old nephew as they twist horsehair and sew beads onto buckskin. Everything they use has been repurposed for use in the regalia including parts of harvested animals.
"The eagle bone whistle is used by the elders, usually people of prominence in the tribes," says Bercier. He tries out the whistle and explains that if an elder is really feeling the singing and drumming he'll play the whistle to get everyone going.
"One of my kids harvested a deer and so I cut the skin off of the deer leg and I am making armbands."
He wraps the deer hoof that that is embellished with a red stripe of fabric around his bicep.
"I've still got a long way to go on these."
He says he usually works on the regalia during the winter when everything slows down. He pulls out a bucket of eagle feathers that have been wrapped at the base with colorful thread and horse hair. They will adorn his chicken dancer bustle - a new category for him this year. He points to his ten-year-old nephew JayD Tinsley.
"He's interested in chicken dance this year," says Bercier.
Tinsely nods and explains that he's been dancing since he was just one year of age. He says it's time to move to a different dance. He says he loves to show off his regalia and dance and he's excited to see who comes to the powwow this year.
The Butte powwow has been around for over 50 years and it took a big hit during the pandemic but every year organizers build on the event that includes a walk and 5K run to bring awareness for suicide and missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Indian tacos will also be served at the event. The event features the Bad Company drummers and a women's shawl dance that awards the winner $1000. The event also features 50/50 and raffle drawings filled with donations from local businesses.
"It’s about, like, hanging out with family, seeing other people from other tribes, like, some of them come to visit and it’s really nice seeing that other people actually come to the powwow here," says JayD Tinsley.
The Southwest Native Community 3rd Annual Powwow is set for Sept. 13 and 14 at the Civic Center in Butte. Click here for a full schedule.
