Rakkasah West 2007 - March 18, 2007

Indigenous performed at 7 PM Sunday on the Main Stage of the Richmond Memorial Auditorium at the close of Rakassah West in  Richmond, California.  Indigenous was proud to perform it's Mytho-Poetic suite of  four Amer-Indian Belly Dances in its entirety.

Spirit Medicine Dance: Two Medicine Women enter the stage to bless the room in preparation for the dancers.  They dance using sign language to tell the story of women who, with strength from The Great Spirit, dance like the eagles to feel power and understand joy.

"Big Medicine is calling you all...........You are Blessed"

"Dance............From the Heart............and Cry No More"

"Dance......With Strength from the Thunderbird"

"And Be Joyful"

Eagle Calling:  The Medicine Women call forth three sacred Eagles who soar in on silk wings.  Because Eagles can fly so high, it is believed they are the link between heaven and earth.  While the Medicine Women are deep in a trance state, the Eagles whirl and dance, filling their hearts with strength and power from The Great Spirit.

            The Medicine Women lead the Eagles to their positions and bless them.

                            The Eagles begin to whirl and soar as the Medicine Women sit in Trance State

  The Eagles leap and spiral...

...And join together into the Power of Three

Raven Bones:

The first Spirit Bird lands and is joined by the rest of the flock.... 

                   .....as they mimic the movements and sounds of the Raven,.....

              CAW!       ....meddler in the lives of The People,...           CAW!

       trickster and clown....... shake those tail feathers!

Sword of the Thunderbird:  In a salute to the Great Spirit, the whole tribe celebrates the power of the Thunderbird, balancing scimitars on their heads while dancing to haunting flute and drums.  Look for the sign of the Thunderbird.

A Salute....... an offering and........power

The Thunderbird soars with the haunting flute melody

...Rain hands and peering through the clouds for sight of the Thunderbird...

..and exiting with Thunder stomps.

Rakkasah is an annual weeklong event of dance workshops ending in three days of family friendly, exciting bellydance performances on two stages open to the public with live musicians and eye-catching vendors.   Click here for more info on Rakkasah