BRIGHTON — Hoop dancers from the Hopi Tribe and White Mountain Apache
Crown dancers taught Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School students about the meaning of their dances as they put on a show.

The student body, teachers and staff gathered in the school’s gym Nov. 4 for the
exhibition. The dance groups performed at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum’s American Indian Arts Celebration in Big Cypress just days before coming to PECS. The museum arranged for the cultural exchange at the school.

“This is the second year bringing AIAC to PECS,” said museum director Gordon
Wareham. “We want to do outreach and it’s way easier for us to come to them. We get to know the school and the dancers like going to schools, they know it matters to the students.”

One member of each dance group drummed and explained the meaning of the
dances as the dancers performed. The hoop dance originated with the Pueblo Tribe in Northern Arizona, where the dancers still live. The hoops represent
mother nature, the circle of life, the medicine wheel and the drum.

The eagle design represents all birds, the butterfly dance represents all insects,
the horse represents all animals, the flower represents agriculture and the ladder of life represents humanity’s journey on earth.

As a nod to being in Florida, the group created an alligator design which appeared to be a favorite of the students. In the White Mountain Apache Crown
dance, the dancers are hooded and represent the mountain spirits. The dance is a healing ceremony to protect the Apache from disease and enemies, while it honors the creator, ancestors and the community.

One of the dancers is a child, called the holy one.

“These dancers are just like you, they go to school,” said group leader and drummer Joe Tohonnie, Jr. “Every one of you are special. You are the ones who heals us older ones, you make us smile. Our holy one is our protector. We dance to massage mother earth; she gives us the food we eat and the air we breathe.”

After the crown dance was over, Tohonnie asked the students, teachers and
staff make a huge circle around the gym. The dancers moved around the circle and blessed each person individually. The filled to capacity gym was quiet during the powerful ceremony.