BULLHEAD CITY — Traditional Mojave song and dance took center stage Thursday at the Colorado River Museum.
Fort Mojave Youth Dance Group co-coordinator Jolita Amelina said, “Tonight’s program has broadly demonstrated what we do and what we try to teach our children and how they I hope that they will pass it on and teach it to their children.” “My father was the head bird singer, so he taught all of us children how to dance for the females and sing for my brothers.”
Founded by the late Geneva Evanston, the Fort Mojave Youth Dance Group caters to young tribesmen ages 3 to teens. Evanston’s dream is to pass on her tribe’s traditional song and dance with the youth within her tribe, which began with her own children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Over time, the group grew and was joined by children from other tribes.
The award-winning team travels to Fairbanks, Alaska to participate in the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and regularly performs at powwows and other Indigenous and non-Indigenous events.
“We are so lucky to have the Fort Mojave Youth Dancers here,” said Karol Finkelstein, president of the Colorado River Historical Society and Museum.
Lindsey Link, who visited the museum for the first time with her three children last week and was informed of upcoming performances, said her 7-year-old daughter Meadow said every day, ‘Today is Wednesday, you can come and see me dance. Are you?” he said. .
“They are really excited to be here tonight,” she said.
In addition to traditional song and dance performances, members of the group shared information about traditional costumes, such as the intricate beadwork of necklaces and cloaks, and the symbolism that is sometimes, but not always, present in the designs. .
“More modern design is about how designers want it to look,” says Heather Ray Evanston, co-coordinator of the Fort Mojave Youth Dance Group. “For example, diamonds are associated with Mount Mojave, but here they could represent the four directions or mountains.”
Evanston’s husband, James Cuello, was the lead singer for the performance.
“The first song was about a new land. We are together in a new place,” he said. “The second song I sang was about a great chief and his bow.
Cuero also led a demonstration of the traditional hand-play of peon, an ancient game traditionally played around a campfire.
Amelina also shared her parents’ experiences at the Fort Mojave Indian Boarding School, which opened in 1891 and operated until 1931.
Participant Sarah Bray said, “It’s something I’ve never experienced before and it was amazing.” “It was useful information, and it was great. They couldn’t be themselves to learn about another culture they were trying to protect, and given what had been taken away from them, it was.” I think it’s great that there’s a generation that is so fixated on getting it back, and what they went through was terrifying.”
Amelina said, “I want people to know that we still have our culture and carry it on. Some young children say that when we go out, children Some people ask us, “Do you still live in Tipi?” No, it’s not. It’s modernized, but the tradition is still passed down. I know my family and children will carry it on. ”
