Photo above: Michelle Crowfeather and her mother, Diana Weaselboy, members of the Lakota Sioux and Chippewa Cree Tribes, respectively, attend Arizona’s first Two-Spirit Powwow. The women describe themselves as LGBT allies and said they wanted to attend the powwow to show solidarity with the Two-Spirit community. Photo by Katherine Davis-Young for The Washington Post.
by SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH |Arizona Republic
The first time John Sneezy danced in a powwow he was nervous and scared, even though he has been a dancer for more than 30 years.
He put on the regalia worn for the traditional cloth dance, a slow and graceful dance that is traditionally performed by women, after decades as a grass dancer. Grass dancing is traditionally male with movements like one is stomping down grass.
When he finally did, it felt good.
“I’m 42 years old and I’m finally comfortable doing it.”
Sneezy came to Arizona’s first Two Spirit Powwow at South Mountain Community College for the one reason, to dance for those who cannot dance.
He lives in San Carlos, Arizona, and grew up on the San Carlos Apache reservation.
Before this weekend’s powwow, Sneezy had to go out of state to dance. He would travel to California to participate in the two spirit powwow hosted by the Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits (BAAITS) organization, which is the largest two spirit powwow in the U.S. He wore a blue cloth dress with rainbow colored ribbon trim to dance this weekend.
John Sneezy of the San Carlos Apache tribe (left) dances at the Native Two Spirit Powwow at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. on Saturday, March 9, 2019. The powwow was the first of its kind in Arizona, featuring members who identified as , and members who did not, dancing together. (Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic)
“I do it because so many other people left this earth who could not dance, who could not express themselves,” Sneezy said. “I come here to dance for them because they didn’t have a voice and I want to give everybody a chance to have a voice.”
The event was hosted by Native PFLAG, South Mountain Community College, Salt River L.O.V.E., Native Transgender Support Team of AZ, Rainbow of Truth and Phoenix Pride Community Grants Programs…
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