Long ago in a land across the great waters our ancient father had a dream.
In his dream the Great Spirit came to our father and carried him away on wings of fire.
The spirit told our father he would lead him to a new land
- A place of bounty, a promised land -
For he had walked in truth and light all seasons.
And so it begins. . . It is the story not just of my people, but people throughout the ages.
There is a time and season for everything.
Seasons of Faith and Prosperity,
Pride and War,
Forgiveness and Rebirth.
I have reached the season in my life when I attended a reunion for a group I danced with in college. (The first time). It showcases the dances of the cultures of Polynesia and the Islands of the Sea, the Latin cultures of Central and South America, and the Native cultures of North America. Being Mexican, I was part of the Latin Section. Okay, so yeah, I am not what comes to mind when you think of a Mexican. You see someone darker, maybe with a bit of an accent.Those things aside, my DNA, and my importantly
MY HEART
are Mexican.
The problem with not looking Mexican, is the Mexicans don't include you sometimes. And as I live where my husband grew up (and he is not Mexican) I haven't had the opportunity to embrace the culture I so dearly love and so greatly miss, not to mention expose my children to these things.So, yes. This reunion was important to me.
Thursday night we attended the evening performance of the current group with a smattering of Alumni included. Friday we attended a luncheon. I hadn't seen anyone I knew at the evening performance. There was 40 years of Alumni and their families. That didn't surprise me. However, there were several who knew me and recognized me at the reunion. That did surprise me, though it should not have.
This is Janie Thompson. She started the group. She is almost 90 and is spunky and fiesty and talented. She directed the group for many years.
After Janie, Ron Simpson directed the group. He is a record producer.
After Ron came Randy Boothe. Randy was not only my director, but he also was one of my advisors as an MDT Major. He was also my voice teacher for several years. Sometimes I wonder if he still thinks I am that high-maintenance co-ed. What a pain in the hiney I must have been!
After Randy came Janielle Christensen. She is still the director.
All the directors spoke, but Randy is more of a 'hands-on' type of guy. He writes a lot of music; a lot of music I have sung. I didn't realize how much I missed being spoken to through music until this day. This is how Randy always communicated with me. . .
I can't tell you how many times I have sung this very song. I can't tell you how it makes me cry with happiness. All I can say is it is, with the beats of the drums of the Native, Latin and Polynesian cultures; it is the beat of my heart.
After the luncheon, there were pictures. They split us into 5-year increments. I'd give the year, but you wouldn't believe me since we all age so well . . .
After pictures we went to a Fireside given by the current group members. I remember those days. These are not fully-constructed firesides. You are told as you get there who the speakers will be that evening. Then the speakers are told what they will be speaking on. As scary as that is, it is a very good thing. Things are always better if you speak from your heart.
They spoke to my heart, they filled my soul. I can say they did that for Tacey and Dallin as well. Both of them were wiping away the tears. McCade. . . not so much.
Ah, well. Can't reach everyone.
After that came the Children's Workshops. I figured McCade would get back with the program at this point in time; he got to wiggle instead of being trapped in a chair.
Tacey was ready to go in the Polynesian section.
It was during this I realized why I hold my hands the way I do when I dance; even to this day.
I have Hula Hands.
Even though I am not Polynesian.
It was fun to see the kids of all the Alumni glimpse what we all spent an important part of our life doing.
They had the kids perform for us, but didn't leave them hanging. They helped them as they performed.
And I would like to point out that MANY of the parents there are as camera-obsessed as I am.
(Isn't that kind of funny? They look like paparazzi.)
Tacey did a simple Modern Hula. Then the boys did a Haka which is the Maori War Dance.
That is McCade in the back.
That is Dallin in the back.
They did a horrible job of standing close together so I could get good pictures.
They also stood in the back line all the time.
I guess they think they are tall.
Next the Native section taught an Alaskan Indian dance about daily life.
Next came the Latin Section. See those feet? Those belong to my kids. They were the only feet that actually did it right.
I guess the years of Tap Lessons will pay off!
They learned a Polka from the state of Chihuahua, Mexico.
But all is not lost. As you can see from this picture, they had a camera crew there all weekend.
Yes.
I bought the DVD.
I will cherish it; for many reasons.
This is McCade's 'Haka' Face.
Since it is a War Dance,
the point is
intimidation.
As it was explained to them you make a Haka Face as follows:
Make your eyes as wide as you can so you look crazy
then stick out your tongue like you are trying to lick the floor
Scream really loud.
Dallin's 'Haka' Face.
The final thing was to learn the Traditional Indian Sign Language.
Before I get into the song, and how important it is let me make a comment about this picture.
This is where the bad attitudes came in.
It had been a long day.
It had been emotional.
It had been very snowy.
But this was,
of all things,
the thing to learn.
But you can see the bad attitudes in the eyes.
Later that evening while we listened to a CD with 'Go My Son' on it,
they were singing at the top of their lungs and doing the sign language.
Go My Son
Go my son, go and climb the ladder.
Go my son, go and earn your feather.
go my son, make your people proud of you.
work my son, get an education.
work my son, learn a good vocation
Climb my son, go and take a lofty view.
From on the ladder of an education.
You can see to help your Indian nation.
Reach my son, and lift your people up with you.
Isn't that what we have all been told?
Go, do your best.
Do your best for yourself and your family
because you would not be who you are without them.
Go do better for those that come after you.
After that we went to Brick Oven for Pizza.
As we tend to eat at a lot of PIZZA PLACES.
They did like this one a lot.
It is a Provo institution.
The Homemade Root Beer was also a big hit.
So was this guy.
No, it wasn't that Tacey thought he was hot.
(She didn't)
Tacey got Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
Mac got a Giraffe. No surprise there. It was simple.
Pretty Darn AMAZING!
The next day the Alumni performed.
All of this will be on my DVD.
The Alumni Banquet, the evening performance of the current members, the Luncheon, the fireside, the children's workshops, the Alumni Showcase and the devotional.
All will be treasured.
As I said; this made me feel like my heart was whole again.
These cultures, these people are my brothers and sisters.
How I miss them.
Danielle
