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| Atreaux (uh-tray-you) Jackson, also known as Tre, dressed down in his Grass Dancer regalia at the Siletz 36th Annual Restoration Powwow at Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City on November 16. Tre, a member of the Siletz Tribe, (he is also Klamath Tribe and Samoan), started dancing after moving to Siletz, OR from Tulalip, WA when he was five years old. He is now an eleven year old 6th grader attending Toledo Elementary School. He plays football, wrestles and dances at Ne' Dash (Native American summer and winter solstice celebrations) and Powwows. |
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| Tre studies a Hoop Dance exhibition. He plans to hoop dance someday but wants to learn as much as he can about it first. According to Wikipedia "Native American Hoop Dance is a form of storytelling dance incorporating anywhere from one to 30 hoops as props, which are used to create both static and dynamic shapes, or formations, representing various animals, symbols, and storytelling elements. It is generally performed by a solo dancer with many hoops." |
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| Tre orders a snack to keep up his energy for dancing after helping the Powwow Committee all day. The Restoration Powwow celebration begins at 9a.m. with guest speakers, video presentations, bingo and much more, then Grand Entry (dancing) starts at 6 p.m., which makes for a very long day for participants. |
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| Tre's mom, Elaine Jackson-Butler, talks with Tre and helps him with last minute adjustments while brother, Ebyn, and sister, Lexi, look on. Elaine gives Tre the same talk before each powwow, reminding him that he is dancing in honor of his grandfather who has a terminal illness and cannot dance anymore and in memory of his grandmother who passed away. She reminds him to be respectful and keep an eye out for his elders, offering help whenever needed, such as helping them find seats and getting them food and drinks at Powwow. |
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| Grass Dancer Tre Jackson "stomping down the grass" in the dance arena. Grass Dancing, originating with northern plains tribes, reenacts the grass being flattened for meeting areas or dance arenas, while moving like the grass, according to one tradition. Tre designed his own regalia with each color having special significance: black and red for the Siletz Warriors, where Tre plays football and wrestles, orange and black for Tre's favorite team, the Oregon State Beavers, green and yellow for Ebyn's favorite team, the Oregon Ducks, turquoise and yellow, Mom's favorite colors, and turquoise and green for the Seattle Seahawkes, the family's favorite NFL team. |
