Pow wow   It's supposed to be a gathering for the purpose of holding on to tradition; a way of reaffirming cultural roots. When we arrived at the tent outside the casino, Indians were dancing all around a large oval with 3 or 4 in the center. The rhythm of the drums and accompanying vocals were long ago found to enable observers and participants alike to be carried off to another dimension. The original drummers knew nothing of alpha frequency brain waves, but they knew the drumming helped them tune in to their intuitive, spiritual selves. The drum beats aren't experienced only through the ears but resonate in the diaphragm, and all through the gut as well. They're felt every bit as much as they're heard, and the natural inclination is for your mind to start drifting off. You can choose to stay focused on the here and now, or you can relax and allow the beat and the sage smudge to carry you off to alpha land. The accompanying vocals are song, chant & scream all rolled into one, and the emotion of them combined with the drumming is enough to bring chills even in the 78 degree weather. This shot is of a drum group during competition.

The invocation was given by a Mescalero Apache woman whose prayer was to the "Lord in heaven" and "Jesus." I was quite disappointed, having been hoping for more of a glimpse into traditional spirituality. Many of the costumes use such modern materials as crepe paper, brightly colored plastic strips, plastic bells, and even diamond shaped pieces of mirror. The costumes all had a traditional look, but the materials, like the prayer, seemed incongruous. Wider angle shot to give a better feel for the size of the tent.

One end of the circle of dancers. I'd hoped to get more of an idea of the costumes with this shot, but I guess they all danced into just the wrong spot as I clicked.

Claypool, just west of Globe. Rte 88 heads off toward Roosevelt Dam, which we'll visit one of these days. Plateau built up from mine tailings.