Koshare Indian Museum and Dancers
Coordinates | 37°58′19″N 103°32′40″W / 37.97190°N 103.54456°W |
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Website | www |
The Koshare Indian Museum is an art and scouting museum in
The museum features works of Pueblo and Plains tribal members.[4]
The museum also facilitates
For decades, Native American response to the Koshare dance performances has been negative based upon cultural appropriation of indigenous cultures as a form of racial discrimination.
Koshare Indian Dancers | |||
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James F. "Buck" Burshears | |||
Affiliation | Boy Scouts of America | ||
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Website www | |||
Koshare Indian Dancers are members of Boy Scout Troop 232 in the
History
Founded by Scoutmaster and author of "The Scoutmaster's Prayer"
I have been to many spectacles, from Madison Square Garden and the New Amsterdam Theatre to the Hollywood Bowl and the Santa Anita race track, and there is nothing in my memory to match a performance of these Boy Scouts which was recently given at the Red Rock Theatre, up in the hills from Denver.
Be a Great Boy is a compilation of memoirs from past Koshare Indian Dancers. The book also serves as an archive of the museum's history and media coverage.[13]
In addition to fulfilling Boy Scout requirements, members dedicate additional time to learn Native American culture, ceremonial dances and recreate Native American regalia. Koshares may increase their ranks within their individual tribes by completing various Scouting activities and fulfilling rank-specific requirements. The three different tribes whose dance styles are represented include the
New members are called Papooses. They must be at least 11 years old, but no older than 18 or have earned an Arrow of Light Award, which is the highest Cub Scout award.[14]
After having obtained their Star Scout Rank, they may work towards the status of Koshare Brave. In order to become a Brave, the Scout must maintain a "C" average in school, earn the Indian Lore Merit Badge, be well practiced in five Koshare Indian dances, exemplify good Scout attitude, read five books about Native American culture, create a well researched outfit, and be elected by current Koshare members.
Following the rank of Brave, a Scout may become a Clan Chief, with one Chief for each of the three tribes, after attaining their
The Clowns, painted in black and white, intercede between dances to provide comic relief, by taunting the crowd and mimicking the dancers. In the
In 1995, in an attempt to make the dances more accurate, two girls were allowed to perform with the Koshares each year. Thanks to its success, in 2003, girls were invited to join the performances, regularly, and the "maiden program" was created.[8]
75th anniversary
On July 25, 2008 the Koshares celebrated their 75th anniversary with a reunion at the kiva.[16] All former members were invited to join with the current members in an evening performance. The two original members, Bill Sisson and Bob Inman were in attendance along with hundreds of current and former members.[17]
Native American responses
In chapter four of his book Playing Indian, Native American historian Philip J. Deloria refers to the Koshare Indian Museum and Dancers as an example of "object hobbyists" who adopt the material culture of indigenous peoples of the past ("the vanishing Indian") while failing to engage with contemporary native peoples.[18][19] Some Native Americans have stated that all such impersonations and performances are a form of cultural appropriation which place dance and costumes in an inappropriate context devoid of their true meaning, sometimes mixing elements from different tribes.[20]
Great offense was taken by the head councilman of the Zuni Pueblo upon witnessing a performance in the 1950s. "We know your hearts are good," he said, "but even with good hearts you have done a bad thing." At a later debate in La Junta, a member of the Zuni community stated,“These gods are powerful, and they do not belong to you.”[21] In Zuni culture religious objects and practices are only for those that have earned the right to participate, following techniques and prayers that have been handed down for generations.[22] A Koshare's point of view on this incident is presented in Behind the Zuni Masks.[23]
In May 1972 hundreds of
In 2015, the Winter Night dances were canceled after a request was received from Cultural Preservation Office (CPO) of the
See also
- Otero Junior College
References
- ^ "Otero County - History Colorado". Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ "Otero Junior College". Ojc.edu. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ^ "Koshare History". Koshare Indian Museum. Archived from the original on January 8, 2007. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- ^ "Koshare Indian Museum and Kiva - Museum Review in La Junta at Frommer's". Frommers.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ^ "Visiting Scouts". Koshare Indian Museum. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- ^ Boys' Life. p. 16.
- ^ Sarlo, Susie. "Award for Excellence" (PDF). Retrieved November 29, 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d "Koshare Dancers". Visit La Junta. 2009. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
- ^ "Koshare History". Koshare Indian Museum. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
- ^ "The Scoutmaster's Prayer". Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ^ "Overview of the Koshare Indian Dancers". Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
- ^ "1933". Archived from the original on November 24, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
- ^ "Home". Beagreatboy.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ^ "Boy Scouts of America:The Achievement Trail". Boys Scouts of America. Retrieved January 5, 2006.
- ^ "Koshare Indian Kiva Museum". Koshare Indian Kiva. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
- ^ Justice, Jennifer (December 29, 2008). "Koshares celebrate successful year, 75th anniversary". La Junta Tribune-Democrat. La Junta, Colorado. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ISBN 9780300071115.
- ^ "Playing Indian". Yale University Press. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ Robert Desjarlait (December 15, 2015). "The Koshares and the Appropriation of Native American Dance".
- ^ Houska, Tara. "Boy Scout Koshare Dancers Need to Stop Stealing From Natives". Indian Country Today. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ Kristen Dobbin (September 10, 2014). "Appropriation (?) of the Month: The Boy Scout Shalako".
- ^ Gendron, Val (1958). Behind the Zuni Masks. Longmans, Green and Co.
- ISBN 978-0131840775. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "Koshare Museum". Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ Anne Constable (January 3, 2016). "Hopis say Boy Scout performances make mockery of tradition, religion". Santa Fe New Mexican.
- ^ Vincent Schilling. "The Koshare museum raises money and its 'Native' dancers perform even after being told they shouldn't". Indian Country Today. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019.
Further reading
- Balicki, David (2009). Be a Great Boy. Lulu. ISBN 978-0557281145.
- Gendron, Val (1958). Behind the Zuni Masks. Longman.
- Kelly, Jack (1975). Koshare. Pruett Pub. ISBN 978-0871080943.
External links
- Media related to Koshare Indian Museum at Wikimedia Commons
- Koshare Indian Museum official site