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Published by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. CLICK FOR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
Friday, August 17, 2001
Native culture
American Indian tribes from across gather for Pow-Wow by the Sea
By Dan Parker
Caller-Times
Paul
Iverson/Caller-Times
Stephanie Lopez, 12, is last year’s Princess of the Inter-Tribal Pow Wow by the
Sea. |
Stephanie Lopez, 12, has a bedroom closet filled with the kind of clothing
you'd expect to see in a pre-teen's wardrobe: Levi blue jeans, Nike tennis shoes
and an array of T-shirts.
But her closet also includes clothing that sets her apart: nine outfits
of American Indian regalia, all handmade by her father, a Portland welder who
is one-quarter Comanche. Her favorite outfit is a blue satin skirt with taffeta
ribbon designs and a yellow satin top.
"My dad put a lot of work into it," Stephanie said. "My very own
dad made it, and no one else. He came up with the design. He didn't copy it off
anything. I'm very proud of him."
Stephanie, daughter of Steve and Maricela Lopez, is the outgoing
elected princess of the Coastal Bend Council of Native Americans, which will conduct
its eighth annual Pow-Wow by the Sea Saturday and Sunday at Memorial Coliseum
in Corpus Christi.
The pow-wow, which promotes friendship and cultural education, will
feature dancing, speeches and vendors selling American Indian food, clothing and
art. Steve Lopez could have paid someone else to make his daughter's dresses,
but he taught himself to sew them instead.
"It's more sentimental," he said. "My daughter cherishes them more
because I made them. ... And, in the Indian world, we consider ourselves craftspeople.
A lot of men sew moccasins and dresses for their kids."
Marsha Prukop sewed the American Indian regalia worn by her daughter,
Jo Marie Prukop, a 12-year-old Bishop girl who is the incoming princess of the
Coastal Bend Council of Native Americans.
Paul
Iverson/Caller-Times
Stephanie Lopez |
Jo Marie loves surfing the Internet as much as any American kid, but
she also finds joy in a far older culture when she dresses in her native regalia.
"It feels like I'm a part of native-American heritage," said Jo Marie,
who is part Cherokee. "It just makes you feel like you're a part of the culture.
It's honorable to wear it."
Lita Cochran of Corpus Christi will attend the pow-wow wearing clothing
she styled after the Caribbean Taino tribe from which she descended.
"I feel like when you go home and you take off your work clothes
and you feel like you're home," she said. "I feel happy and proud."
Contact Dan Parker at 886-3753 or parkerd@caller.com
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