2000 - The Smoki Museum - where history is rewritten
From the article:
For the next six decades, the annual Smoki performance … usually was a sellout. And it was generally applauded by both Indian and white spectators. Writing about the history of the organization in a booklet titled The Smoki People (Now Historical), longtime Smoki members Bruce Fee and John Freeman said that “in the early days of Smoki, the Hopi Indians encouraged Smoki to do the dances because the Indians weren’t doing them anymore. They gave Smoki valuable information about dances, drum beats and chants.”
But the demise of the Smoki started in the early 1980s.
Bob Gray, a longtime Smoki and veteran dancer, said there were several reasons.
“Some of the Indians, the young ones, started protesting and demonstrating against the dances,” Gray said. “But more than that, it was financial. Not enough people showed up for the performances. And we started having trouble getting younger people to join.” …..
After the 1990 dances, the Smoki abandoned their pageant and developed programs featuring actual Indian dancers. This worked well for five years, but the drain on Smoki resources and their dwindling membership forced them to call it quits.”
Soooo.... This is how they're telling the story of the Smoki now:
The Smokis were given encouraged to dance the sacred and religious dances of the Hopi, and other tribes, because they weren't doing them anymore. Not only did they want them to reenact their religious rituals, but they applauded it ... until the youngsters came in, didn't understand, and protested against it.
They, literally, rewrote history.
For the next six decades, the annual Smoki performance … usually was a sellout. And it was generally applauded by both Indian and white spectators. Writing about the history of the organization in a booklet titled The Smoki People (Now Historical), longtime Smoki members Bruce Fee and John Freeman said that “in the early days of Smoki, the Hopi Indians encouraged Smoki to do the dances because the Indians weren’t doing them anymore. They gave Smoki valuable information about dances, drum beats and chants.”
But the demise of the Smoki started in the early 1980s.
Bob Gray, a longtime Smoki and veteran dancer, said there were several reasons.
“Some of the Indians, the young ones, started protesting and demonstrating against the dances,” Gray said. “But more than that, it was financial. Not enough people showed up for the performances. And we started having trouble getting younger people to join.” …..
After the 1990 dances, the Smoki abandoned their pageant and developed programs featuring actual Indian dancers. This worked well for five years, but the drain on Smoki resources and their dwindling membership forced them to call it quits.”
Soooo.... This is how they're telling the story of the Smoki now:
The Smokis were given encouraged to dance the sacred and religious dances of the Hopi, and other tribes, because they weren't doing them anymore. Not only did they want them to reenact their religious rituals, but they applauded it ... until the youngsters came in, didn't understand, and protested against it.
They, literally, rewrote history.
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| 2000, Feb 6 Arizona Republic |
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| 2007, April 6 Arizona Republic |
