Dancers share heritage with Edmond library audiences
dancers share heritage
BY JESSE OLIVAREZ
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Published: October 7, 2009
EDMOND — Steve Littleman lost his parents before he got the chance to write down his family’s history and oral traditions. So he’s doing his part to keep them and his culture alive through shows celebrating his Kiowa heritage.
Leslie Deer, a Jingle Dress and Fancy Shawl Dancer, performs Monday at Edmond Public Library. PHOTO BY JOHN CLANTON, THE OKLAHOMAN
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Fancy Dancers Schedule
The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers are performing at branches of the Metropolitan Library System. Show dates, times and locations are:
• 1 p.m. today, Southern Oaks Library, 6900 S Walker.
• 1 p.m. Thursday, The Village Library, 10307 N Pennsylvania.
• 7 p.m. Thursday, Belle Isle Library, 5501 N Villa.
• 10:30 a.m. Friday, Del City Library, 4509 SE 15.
For more information, call 606-3833.
Littleman and his group, the
Oklahoma Fancy Dancers, are performing this week at several branches of the Metropolitan Library System. The performances are sponsored by the
Oklahoma Arts Council and Friends of the Metropolitan Library System.
The shows are a mix of traditional American Indian dances and music intertwined with stories about lives and histories of the American Indian tribes. Littleman said the group wants to give others a chance to learn about his heritage and those of other tribes.
‘The goal is to make people aware ... that still today we have the pride in our people,” Littleman said. "And through that, we have pride in ourselves.”
The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers started in 1954. At the time, Littleman was a young man who by his own admission, took for granted that his parents were still alive. He enjoyed hearing them talk about his culture’s ancient traditions, he said, and assumed he would have more time with them.
Then a massive heart attack ended his father’s life and his mother died a short time later, forever robbing him of the opportunity to sit with them to write down their knowledge.
Now Littleman said he has devoted himself to preserving all he can by virtue of planting those seeds of knowledge with others.
"So much was lost so I tell others now, ‘Don’t wait, go take care of it because it’s all there,’” Littleman said.
That message resonated with members of the audience at a performance at the Edmond Library.
Carmen Zavatsky, a native of
Mexico of Mayan descent, said watching the show made her think of her childhood. She said she appreciated what Littleman and his group are trying to do.
"Their outfits have a lot of power and spirit,” she said. "I enjoyed it.”
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