Dothan powwow draws hundreds

Emerson Begay shook his staff and shield to the beat of a drum.

Dozens of eagle feathers dangled from Begay’s body as he danced at an American Indian powwow Saturday night. Begay traveled from Johnson City, Tenn., to perform at the powwow held at the Dothan Civic Center.

Begay, a native of New Mexico and descendent of the Navajo Indian tribe, was one more than two dozen people to dance at the powwow. Begay said he attends and performs at powwows all across the U.S. East coast to keep in touch with American Indian heritage.

“It keeps me in line with my road,” Begay said of his dancing. “It helps me keep in touch with my tradition, my Navajo tribal people and my sobriety.”

Begay carried a dance staff in his right hand, which dangled eagle feathers from it, wore a decorated shield on his left arm and carried an eagle feather fan in his left hand. He also had his face painted blue and black, which he said represents night and day.

Sonya Smith, who served as the coordinator of the event, called the second annual event a success with representation from more American Indian tribes from across the country. She said dancers traveled as far away as Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana to perform at the powwow.

Smith coordinated the event through the Center for Community Advancement to coincide with American Indian Heritage month in November. An estimated 300 people attended the event.

“Native American events are a time of reunion and keeping our traditions alive,” Smith said. “It’s to let everyone know American Indian people still exist today, and very much keeping our traditions.”

Smith, who wore a yellow southern cloth outfit, performed a women’s traditional dance with several other women at the powwow. Smith said she’s descended from the Echota Cherokee tribe out of Northwest Alabama. She said eight of the nine American Indian tribes recognized by the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission as indigenous to Alabama performed in the powwow.

Robert Eckenroth attended the powwow with his 14-year-old daughter, Emma Eckenroch, and several family friends.

“I wanted my daughter to be introduced to the Indian way of life and different cultures,” Eckenroth said.

Eckenroth clicked nearly 200 pictures with his camera at the event, including one he took of his daughter with their favorite American Indian dancer, Richard Greybull. Greybull, a descendant of the Dakota American Indian tribe, is a native of northeast Montana where he was born on the Fort Peck and Assiniboine and Sioux reservation. But Greybull, who retired from the Army, now lives in Enterprise.

“It was very cultural. It was a fun experience,” Emma Eckenroth said. “It was educational.”

Stan Long, the chief of the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama, worked an informational booth at the powwow to tell people about Alabama’s American Indian history.

“It’s important to let people know the impact Native Americans had on Alabama,” Long said. “I think the roots of Southern hospitality were in Native American influence.” 

Tribes Recognized by the State of Alabama
- Poarch Band of Creek Indians, of Atmore.
- Echota Cherokee Tribe Of Alabama, of Falkville.
- Cherokee Tribe Of Northeast Alabama, of Huntsville.
- Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe of Alabama, of Kinston.
- Star Clan of Muscogee Creeks, of Troy.
- Cher-O-Creek Intra Tribal Indians, of Dothan.
- MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians, of Mount Vernon.
- Piqua Shawnee Tribe, of Birmingham.
- United Cherokee Ani-Yun-Wiya Nation, of Guntersville.
* Information from the Alabama Indian Affairs Web site.