We Are Dancing for You: Native Feminisms and the Revitalization of Women’s Coming-of-Age Ceremonies

by Cutcha Risling Baldy

"I am here. You will never be alone. We are dancing for you." So begins Cutcha Risling Baldy's deeply personal account of the revitalization of the women's coming-of-age ceremony for the Hoopa Valley Tribe. At the end of the twentieth century, the tribe's Flower Dance had not been fully practiced for decades. The women of the tribe, recognizing the critical importance of the tradition, undertook its revitalization using the memories of elders and medicine women and details found in museum archives, anthropological records, and oral histories.

Deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge, Risling Baldy brings us the voices of people transformed by cultural revitalization, including the accounts of young women who have participated in the Flower Dance. Using a framework of Native feminisms, she locates this revival within a broad context of decolonizing praxis and considers how this renaissance of women's coming-of-age ceremonies confounds ethnographic depictions of Native women; challenges anthropological theories about menstruation, gender, and coming-of-age; and addresses gender inequality and gender violence within Native communities.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Feminism, History, Religion, Academia, Native American

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2018

Reviews

[Kate♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5stars

A fascinating look at the erasure of native women's history during colonization

[Mallory Whiteduck · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on coming of age ceremonies for girls, one that does not perform ethnography but demonstrates the importance of ceremony to Native survivance.

[Jess Saravia 🧚‍♀️✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic; we indigenous women are not leaving, and are loving everything of who we are. Great book- can't wait to review this!

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant read about women’s coming of age ceremonies amongst the Hoopa Valley Tribe, which traces their origins, pre-colonialism practices, suppression, and revitalization. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, well worth the read.

[Ale Esquer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and truly crucial read.

[Audi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional! Imagine someone cared enough about you to pray, sing and dance for you.

[Talaya Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was refreshing to read and provided light for indigenous women.

[Kelly Luis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The clarity in the Dr. Baldy's findings on the revitalization of women's ceremonies and celebration of a woman's first menstruation by her community in truly unmatched. In particular, I find myself migrating back to Chapter 5 where the author notes "... to build a decolonizing praxis that shows how ceremony is theory and knowledge embodied through song, dance, and movement... instead these ceremonies allow us an embodied theoretical framework for healing, reclaiming Native feminisms, and effecting decolonization." Dr. Baldy initial chapters educates readers on the devastating historical events that led to the suppression of this ceremony, which then leads us to a place where we can begin to deeply appreciate the immense healing that comes with the recent revitalization of women coming of age ceremonies.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge eye opener to the ways in which N Californian indigenous tribes overcome monumental destruction at the hands of white heteropatriarchical colonialism through the practice of ceremonies that support and celebrate young women at the onset of menstruation. Great discussions of historical and ongoing trauma as well as the ways in which anthropology has been used as a tool of colonialism. Baldy's message is full of wisdom and hope (for all people) as she offers a window into the healing, sustaining potency of menstruation/womanhood when fully acknowledged, honored, and celebrated.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A volume to savor. Dr Baldy reviews some sad history, describes strong women, and brings me to a place of understanding and hope.

"we must (re) write, (re) right, and (re) rite"

She spends some time on the accepted icons, such as " hut ", instead of women's house. I found an old story (not from the Hupa people) that says in translation " they made it nice and warm for her".

Fascinating and important writing here.

[Adam Burnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although at times clunky in its academic renderings, Risling’s documentation and careful attention to the Hupa Valley Tribe of Northern California, of which she is a member, and the enduring coming of age/menstruation ceremonies are vital. Particularly sharp when comparing the colonial anthropological and ethnographic studies against oral Native histories that uncover the false “taboo” of menstruation.

[Tatsinʉ̠ʉ̠pi Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful, heartbreaking, and raw read on the often unspoken reality of Indigenous women in California. From the Spanish mission system, to the Mexican governance, to the U.S. this is not an easy read on material, but so very, very important. It made me excited to give my own community's ceremony to my little sister and gave even more profound feelings for what she will become.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartbreaking to read about the erasure of Native culture and traditions from colonization and continued oppression. Interesting book and I enjoyed the author’s take on a topic personal to her. The ‘textbook’ format was harder for me to engage with but glad I read this book.

[Emile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anything I might say about this book in review feels disrespectful. I would like to read more scholarship like this.

[Kate Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

such an enriching read! 🏋️‍♀️🙈

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for Gender and Women's studies. I thought it was a fascinating look into the erasure of Native American women.

[Shane]

Actually reassuring

[sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

in depth and fascinating look at native survivance and the importance of rewriting salvage anthropological, misogynistic narratives of women’s coming of age ceremonies.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a really interesting and informative book. even as somebody who has lived experience as a native person, i learned so many new things that will stick with me.

[David Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last chapter of 'We Are Dancing for You', titled "Xoq'it-ch'iswa:l/On Her--They Beat Time, a Flower Dance Is Held for Her," makes reading this book about the Hupa women's coming-of-age ceremony worthwhile. In this part of Risling Baldy's book, the reader is taught the oral tradition informing the Flower Dance, as well as the ceremonies most important features, not to mention why the dance is essential to Hupa cultural revitalization. Indeed, the most meaningful contributions that Risling Baldy makes to Indigenous women's studies consist of those instances when she writes specifically about the Hupa and the Flower Dance, especially her interviews with Lois Risiling (the author's mother) and Melodie George-Moore, a renowned Hupa medicine woman.In fact, in my opinion, the last chapter, Chapter 5, should have been set at the beginning of the book, thereby setting the discourse squarely in the Hupa oral and ceremonial tradition. As it is, 'We Are Dancing for You' often reads like a dissertation, as the discourse leads the reader through some lengthy lit reviews of Native feminism and standard California Indian history. Even though the critique of Alfred Kroeber's work and legacy is quite interesting and insightful, it still takes quite a while for the analysis to get around to the book's main topic. Also, while the connection between Native feminism and the Hupa Flower Dance is obvious, at the same time, because none of the feminists quoted are Hupa, California Indians, nor even talk about women's ceremonies--excepting the late Inés Talamantez (Mescalero Apache)--the theoretical survey adds little to one's understanding of the Flower Dance itself. Indeed, theory seems to be a pale substitute for oral tradition. What would have been more helpful is some comparative work between the Hupa kinahldung and their Navajo and Apache counterparts. The latter does come up curiously only in the book's conclusion. Equally important, because Hupa history is sorely lacking in this discourse, Risling Baldy does not adequately explain how the Flower Dance was pushed into near extinction as a result of federal Indian policy. Instead, there is broad reference to California's oppressive and genocidal relations to indigenous peoples--but not Hupa history itself. I suspect someone did not teach Risiling Baldy how to research archival and government records. In the end, I do recommend this books for all the reasons mentioned above. Hopefully, in Risiling Baldy's future work--I foresee a lengthy and substantial career ahead for her--she will focus less on trying to flatter the academics she admires (there was a lot idol worship in these pages), and concentrate more on developing Indigenous, specifically Hupa, ideas, values, and sovereignty.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating and the telling of these stories from a first- and second-hand account was so powerful. Been recommending it to a lot of friends who are interested in anti-racism work.