Youth group performs 'tribal' dances and sometimes for money

Wednesday, July 20, 2016  

The Kwahadi Dancers are based in Amarillo, Texas. Photo by Barry A. Bray

A youth group has been appropriating dances from tribes and even charges money for some of its performances, lawmakers in New Mexico were told.

The Kwahadi Dancers are based in Texas and claims their name was given to them by "Elders of the Comanche Nation." But Shawn Price, a co-founder of Sacred Preservation, said the group has taken ceremonies from the Navajo Nation without approval.

"These groups know that they are doing something wrong, but they continue to do because they are not being challenged on a legal basis," Price, who is Navajo, told the New Mexico Legislature’s Indian Affairs Committee, The Farmington Daily-Times reported. "They don't get that it's offensive."

Price showed lawmakers videos of the group performing Navajo dances, the paper reported. He said fees were charged to attend the performances -- one event held at the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian last fall listed prices of $9 for adults and $5 students.

"Your presentation made it clear to me that what we are talking about is cultural theft. These groups are stealing the culture," a lawmaker said in response, the paper reported.

Videos of the Kwahadi Dancers can be found on YouTube, Facebook and Vince and they appear to depict of number of dances from various tribes, hoop dances and powwow styles of dance. Others appear to be performances of a more interpretive nature.

A similar youth group from Colorado, the Koshare Dancers, has been criticized for appropriating dances and ceremonies from tribes in New Mexico.

Get the Story:
Group wants Native American dances protected (The Farmington Daily-Times 7/20)

Tara Houska: Stop stealing cultural traditions from Native people (2/12)
Editorial: Youth dance group insults Pueblo tradition and culture (01/06)
Doug George-Kanentiio: Imposters bring harm to Native people (6/17)