Do Dominican totem poles exist?

People are still talking about Miss Universe Canada's costume:

Miss Universe Canada's totem pole dress shocks First Nations people

Torontonian Paola Nunuz Valdez wore the offending dress at this week’s Miss Universe contestIn a statement, Valdez said the dress was a "misunderstanding" and that the design was meant to refer to her own heritage as a Dominican, not to reflect on Canada's aboriginal culture.

She was born in the Dominican Republic, which shares with Haiti the large Caribbean island east of Cuba. While totem poles may exist there, they don't play as prominent role in the culture as they do on Canada's west coast.

Callingbull, in a Facebook post, suggested Miss Universe Canada hire a cultural consultant in the future to avoid hanging an important symbol from a future contestant's crotch.

She also criticized the organization's attempt to cover up its error.

"I'd like to see these so called 'west coast Dominican Republic Totem Poles.' They are really trying to protect themselves and didn't even have the heart to simply apologize," she wrote.

One totem pole online

Someone posted this link and image on Facebook:

Dominican Carnival Totem Pole YAGU-TO2Hand carved and painted Dominican Carnival Totem Pole. Made from the palm trees leaf stem which is called Yauga (pronounced "Jagua").

Approximate size: 8.5x1.5

To which I responded:

This kind of proves the point. There's only one item online that matches a "Dominican totem pole" search. Totem poles aren't a part of that culture or there'd be more of them.

Also, the fact that the item is labeled "Dominican" doesn't mean it's authentically Dominican. It could've been made in Asia for all we know.

More important, it looks nothing like Miss Canada's loincloth. If it is authentically Dominican, her costume isn't.

In fact, the Dominican Creations company is headquartered in Quebec and says it'sServing Canada, United States and the Dominican RepublicThis makes it less likely the company is selling genuine Dominican artifacts. And again, even if this pole were genuine, it doesn't look like the pole on the dress.

Final comment

Someone else added this comment on Valdez's dress:Ummm...totally not the same as Dominican 'totem poles'. And last time I checked she was representing Canada. This would imply that she is misusing First Nations totem culture.Yes, it's ridiculous to say she's honoring her Dominican heritage when that has nothing to do with her role as Miss Canada. Plus her raven costume and the totem pole have nothing to do with the Dominican Republic.

Miss Canada in a totem-pole loincloth

Miss Canada and the Free Bin

By Jessica R. MetcalfeWell, I was hoping this wasn't true, but alas, Miss Canada, Paola Nuñez, wore this lil "Totem Pole" number for the Miss Universe Preliminaries held two days ago in Las Vegas. The pageant will be televised live on Sunday, Dec 20, on FOX.

The past costumers for Miss Canada seem to have an identity crisis of sorts, not really knowing how to authentically represent their unique national identity in a flamboyant soundbite of an ensemble.

What makes Canada unique? In the past, they've featured Mounties, maple leaves, and even hockey sticks, but they always come back to old standby: "the Native."An update:Well, you may or may not like what I have to say. We've found the designer of this costume. He's actually a young Dominican designer who also designed Miss Canada's evening gown and the outfit for her talent portion. In fact, she is also from the Dominican Republic and immigrated with her mother to Canada at the age of 10. As a newcomer to Canada, she was bullied and teased because of her dark skin and big lips. In addition, from reading the designer’s meaning behind this costume, it is clear that he genuinely tried to do research (if only we could all get gold stars for trying) and he found significance in the totem pole; he writes, "honoring these tribes which we pay tribute to the indigenous peoples of these Nations.”

So here we have a young lady wishing to represent Canada in the best way and make the nation proud. We also have a young designer wanting to honor Canada’s Aboriginal population through his garments. Why, then, when we have so many good intentions on the table, do we still come up shorthanded when it comes to representing Native people and our cultures appropriately and accurately? (And, as a sidebar, how does a person, who wants to win a global title, make this kind of cultural faux pas?) What’s the big hang-up? Where’s the glitch in the system? Why are we consistently excluded from having a say in how our cultures are being represented?

Some commenters on Facebook were more scathing than Dr. Metcalfe:This is ridiculous and super offensive...this is an example of why some Canadians need to learn more about our First Peoples...whoever organizes the pageant and chooses the wardrobe is obviously completely ignorant and very disrespectful!

My first problem with this is the use of a designer from the Dominican (as Miss Canada a Canadian designer should have been used). My second problem with this is if they wanted to showcase First Nations culture they should have gone with a First Nations designer. This is offensive!!

Did the pageant committee set her up for fail? Why wasn't her outfit made with a tasty beaded, deerskin dress and head band. I am an Alberta native and the ugly mask outfit is an insult to my Cree heritage. The whiteman wins again.Dominican totem pole?!

Finally, the Miss Universe Canada organization offered a ridiculous explanation of its ridiculous stereotyping:

‘There’s been a tremendous misunderstanding’: Miss Universe Canada carved over totem pole outfit

By Tristin HopperBut after the 2015 contestant elicited cringes by donning a glittery totem pole costume, organizers tried to head off outrage by explaining that it was a Dominican-inspired totem pole.

“Unfortunately, there’s been a tremendous MISUNDERSTANDING regarding the context about Miss Canada’s National Costume,” reads an official statement by Miss Universe Canada.

“Yes, there are many different totem poles, NOT just First Nations totem poles.”And:On Sunday, Miss Universe Canada put out a statement responding to “all of the negative comments.”

Despite earlier claims that Miss Canada had been embracing “native culture,” the statement said that they actually meant to say that she was “embracing her ethnic heritage of being a Dominican-born Canadian.”

When a commenter pointed out that the Dominican Republic is not known for its totem poles, Miss Universe Canada responded “her costume was not meant to depict First Nations people but rather the people of the Dominican.”Comment:  Get freakin' serious, pageant people. The totem pole looks like a touristy version of typical Native totem pole. The animals appear to be an eagle, bear, and wolf--animals not found in the Dominican Republic.

Moreover, the rest of her costume resembles a giant raven--again a clearcut symbol of Canada's First Nations, not the Dominican Republic. If people realized the costume turned this revered being into a sex object, they might be even more upset.

Finally, the designer explicitly wrote that he intended to "pay tribute to the indigenous peoples of these Nations." So he lied? Or he's too stupid to realize what he said? Because his statement blatantly contradicts the pageant's statement.

Somebody's not telling the truth here. I'm guessing it's Miss Universe Canada.

For more on the subject, see Miss Universe Canada in a Headdress.

Beaverton satirizes MMIW crisis

I tweeted a few times about model/actress Ashley Callingbull winning the Mrs. Universe title. I guess it's a milestone for a Native to win a "major" beauty pageant, although Mrs. Universe isn't one of the "big four." But long-time readers know what I think of beauty pageants, which is not much.

However, the Beaverton's satirical article on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women (#MMIW) is worth mentioning:

The Beaverton pulls controversial article on Ashley Callingbull

Indigenous community outraged on Twitter about satire on missing, murdered women

By Kim WheelerA satirical news website that used a Cree woman's victory at an international beauty contest to draw attention to national coverage of missing and murdered indigenous women has withdrawn the article and apologized to its readers.

On Sunday, Ashley Callingbull, whose married name is Burnham, from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta was named Mrs. Universe, the first First Nation woman to win the title.

The Beaverton's article, headlined "Mrs. First Cree Woman To Gain National Coverage If She Disappears," said make-believe judges "cited her good looks, upbeat attitude, and glitzy uncontroversial profession in awarding her the top prize of one day's coverage on most major Canadian news outlets should she suddenly vanish without a trace.

"Burnham is showing all those aboriginal girls out there that as long as you look like a supermodel and get on TV, you too can get the same news coverage as a white girl should you ever be abducted," the article continued.

In its apology, The Beaverton said it wrote the satirical story to "call out the Media for their failure to properly cover missing and murdered Aboriginal women …"

However, many indigenous people didn't find it funny and took to Twitter to voice their outrage:

"The fact that a publication would take the time to publish these words shows that they have no morals, no empathy," said Althea Guibouche, who is part of a team walking across Western Canada for all missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, who organizes an annual gathering in Winnipeg to remember disappeared women, says she wasn't as angry.

"I think in a twisted way it speaks the truth," she said.Comment:  I think people responded to this satire like they would to any satire on a life-and-death issue. For example, rape, murder, or suicide. Some focus on the point--that the media focuses only on celebrities--which is valid. And some focus on the language, which mocks or belittles the threat of violence against women.

For more on violence against women, see Storefront Window Shows Bound Mi'kmaq Women.

Miss America sparks America's racism

An excellent example of how racist we still are despite--or because of--electing a black president:



Racists Are Being Hella Racist Because Miss America Isn't White

The worst reactions to Nina Davuluri being crowned Miss America

20 Racist Tweets About the New Miss America

Fox News host: new Miss America, Nina Davuluri, doesn’t ‘represent American values’

Miss America brushes off the bigots[W]ith her victory, Davuluri has made an outmoded, quaintly sexist relic somehow relevant–subversive, even. She’s sparked a conversation about what it means to be truly American (Hint: The qualifications don’t include European descent) and exposed the racists in their astonishing ignorance. She showed that while it’s grotesque enough to hate, to hate without any degree of geographic, historic or cultural accuracy takes a person to a super-achiever level of grotesque. And if there were prizes to be handed out for sheer absurdity, a whole lot of people would be wearing tiaras today.Comment:  Apparently white skin is an "American value" now. Which is what conservatives such as Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin mean when they talked about "real Americans": white people.

You rarely see such a pure case of America's racism in action. Davuluri is an American citizen, hasn't done anything wrong, and isn't a Muslim or an Arab. (Not that it would matter if she were a Muslim or an Arab.) So a bunch of bigots are attacking her for nothing except her race.

For more on the subject, see Racists Think "Equality Was Achieved" and "Everybody's Equal" But No Interracial Dating. Or click on the link to see my 600-plus blog entries on racism, most of them dealing only with Native Americans.

Three Natives on Hill's "Most Beautiful" list

Three Natives Make The Hill’s ’50 Most Beautiful’ ListOn Wednesday, TheHill.com published its ninth annual “50 Most Beautiful” list, which highlights people working in and around the U.S. government who are stylish, intriguing and, well, beautiful. Three Natives made the 2012 list, for which over 400 individuals (both male and female) were nominated.

Those three indigenous lookers are:

Jessica Imotichey, senior policy analyst for the Chickasaw Nation.

Nikki Santos [Coeur d’Alene], an executive assistant to three lawyers at the National Indian Gaming Association.

Mary Hiratsuka [Inuit], legislative assistant for Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska).Comment:  I'm not sure being recognized on a "most beautiful" list is that desirable.

For more on Natives and beauty pageants, see Miss Blackfeet Goes to Stanford and Transgendered Native as Civil Rights Champion.

Below:  Jessica Imotchey, Nikki Santos, and Mary Hiratsuka.

Miss Blackfeet goes to Stanford

Class of 2012: Miss Blackfeet, bound for Stanford, hopes to inspire other Indian girls

By Chelsi MoyAs a seventh-grader, Sharen Kicking Woman remembers watching the crowning of Miss Blackfeet during Browning’s North American Indian Days in awe and amazement.

“She was a student at Duke (University),” Kicking Woman said. “I never thought real people went to these schools.”

Now, as the reigning 2011 Miss Blackfeet and a Loyola Sacred Heart High School graduate bound for Stanford University in the fall, Kicking Woman hopes that she, too, can inspire the next generation of Indian girls.

“If I can inspire one person to go for it, I’ve done my job,” said the 17-year-old Missoula native.Comment:  For more on beauty pageants, see Transgendered Native as Civil Rights Champion and Yakama Woman on Survivor: South Pacific.

Below:  "Sharen Kicking Woman, graduate of Loyola Sacred Heart High School and 2011 Miss Blackfeet, will be going to Stanford University in the fall on a full-ride scholarship, thanks to the Gates Millennium Scholars Program. Kicking Woman figures she’s ready to live away from Montana, having served as a U.S. Senate page last year in Washington, D.C." (Tom Bauer/Missoulian)

Transgendered Native as civil rights champion

Transgender contestant loses beauty pageant, wins civil rights test

By Cassandra SzklarskiTransgender trailblazer Jenna Talackova lost her bid to become Miss Universe Canada over the weekend, but said Sunday that her history-making appearance has awarded her a much more meaningful role as a civil rights champion.

“I never thought I would be wearing [the] crown of an advocate and it feels really good, I feel very honoured,” Ms. Talackova said one day after losing the Miss Universe Canada title to fellow Vancouverite Sahar Biniaz.

“I was training for eight months, I was very dedicated and all of a sudden I was disqualified and for something that was so unjust. And now I’m a heroine in a lot of people’s eyes and it’s just made me so humbled and I wake up pinching myself.”

Ms. Talackova fell just outside the winner’s circle Saturday night, when she was cut after making the Top 12.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Osage Transgender Runs for Office and Transgendered Native in Miss Universe Pageant.

Transgendered Native in Miss Universe pageant

Aboriginal Transgender Miss Universe Canada Contestant Jenna Talackova Fights Disqualification—And WinsLake Babine First Nation member Jenna Talackova was born male. Four years ago, though, she underwent a sex change operation. Today she is a 23-year-old woman striking enough to make it into the Canadian Miss Universe Pageant.

Enter Donald Trump, whose pageant has disqualified her for being formerly male. The decision came down shortly after it was revealed that Talackova was transgender. Talackova, selected from among 65 finalists for the May competition to be held in Toronto, has refused to back down.

“I’m disqualified, however I’m not giving up,” she tweeted after getting the news. “I’m not going to just let them disqualify me over discrimination.”

She and attorney Gloria Allred, known for taking on high-profile cases, held a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

“Jenna entered this competition and gave the pageant her time, her best efforts and her money,” Allred said at the press conference, Talackova at her side, as TMZ reported. “She did not think for one moment that what she looked like at birth would be relevant. She did not ask Mr. Trump to prove that he is a naturally born man, or to see the photos of his birth to view his anatomy to prove he was male. It made no difference to her. Why should it have made a difference to him?”Trump wishes transgender luck in Canada pageant

By Robert JablonA boy who became a girl got her wish to compete for title of hottest woman on the planet after Donald Trump said she could compete for Canada's spot in the Miss Universe pageant.

Trump, who runs the Miss Universe Organization, issued a statement Tuesday wishing Jenna Talackova "the best of luck in her quest for the crown." The statement came the same day that Talackova and her attorney Gloria Allred urged the organization to clarify its gender requirements.

The organization said it actually made the decision Monday to let the 23-year-old Talackova compete in the 2012 competition to become Canada's contestant.

The organization said Talackova could enter the pageant "provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions." No further details were provided.And more from a couple of days later:

Jenna Talackova on 20/20 Tonight, April 6“I am a woman,” she said in a statement. “I was devastated and I felt that excluding me for the reason that they gave was unjust.”

Now Talackova has not only won the right to compete but also seems to have reversed the rule, as she wanted: Miss Universe pageant owner Donald Trump has rescinded the clause saying that contestants must be a “natural-born female.”

“I feel like the universe, the Creator, just put me in this position as an advocate, and now it’s like this, and I’ll take that position,” Talackova told broadcast journalist Barbara Walters in an interview for ABC’s 20/20. “If it’s helping anybody else, my story and my actions, then I feel great about it.”

It’s not clear whether she will compete, even though she has been given the go-ahead. As of April 6 her photos still were not in the gallery of finalists on the Miss Universe Canada web page.Comment:  For more on transgendered Natives, see Two Spirits Is "Thoughtful, Intelligent" and Miss Indian Transgender Pageant.

Below:  Jenna Talackova and Barbara Walters.

Yakama woman on Survivor: South Pacific

Slice of Yakima:  Wapato native still a 'Survivor'

By Pat MuirElyse Umemoto survived Miss America as second runner-up in 2008; now, four episodes into "Survivor: South Pacific," she's trying to survive again.

Umemoto, who lives in Las Vegas, is among 18 contestants on the long-running CBS reality show. The 2001 Wapato High School graduate is a member of the Savaii tribe on the show, which premiered Sept. 14 and will air its fifth episode at 8 o'clock tonight.Elyse Umemoto from Yakama Nation competes on 'Survivor'Elyse Umemoto, a member of the Yakama Nation of Washington, is a contestant on Survivor: South Pacific.

Umemoto, 27, grew up on the reservation. She placed second runner-up in the Miss America pageant in 2008.

In addition to being Yakama, Umemoto is German, Hispanic and Japanese.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Reality Shows Reflect Reality.

Miss Universe Canada in a headdress

Adrienne Keene is among several people who have commented on Miss Universe Canada's costume this year:

Oh, (Miss) CanadaSo, apparently, Miss Universe Canada Chelsae Duroche decided it would be appropriate to wear a headdress for the "National Dress" portion of the competition. Her stereotypical stoic Indian pose is helpful too.

From what I can find, I don't think Chelsae is Native. But honestly, that wouldn't have mattered. That's a straight-up costume shop headdress right there.

The sad thing is, she had an opportunity to do something cool. Look at her dress (once she moved the cigar store Indian arms):Her dress is a stylized Northwest Coast design (which, again, way to combine distinct cultures--Plains headdress with NW coast dress?).Time magazine, which labeled this one of "Miss Universe 2011's Most Bizarre National Costumes," quoted a blurb:Miss Canada considers her First Nations-inspired cocktail dress a work of art. Her official website describe[s] it as “A Homage to Haida—Its People & Art.”Comment:  The headdress isn't the only problem with Durocher's appearance. The werewolf-style teeth and tongue look fake to me. Indeed, the whole thing looks fake to me: like a child's arts-and-crafts version of Pacific Northwest art. I'd be surprised if a Native fashion designer had anything to do with it.

For those who are unfamiliar with this artistic style, see:

An Overview of Pacific Northwest Native Indian Art

Also, I suspect the skirt is supposed to represent a teepee.

"Homage" = mockery

So it's an "homage" to and "inspired" by Haida art? In other words, it's some non-Haida version of Haida art. And not a good one.

Maybe one of the elementary-school children she loves created it for her. A kid saw a chief, wolf face, and teepee in an Indian coloring book and put them all in a costume.

The polite term for this is cultural appropriation. Another term might be "mockery" or "ripoff."

As you may recall, last year a Miss Universe Canada finalist also appeared in a headdress. A few years ago, Miss USA appeared in a headdress:



It's hard to say which of these costumes is worse. Miss USA's sexy showgirl outfit turned her into an Indian princess, fantasy figure, and potential abuse or rape victim. But Miss Universe Canada's outfit bastardizes a real culture's artwork by 1) copying it badly and 2) mixing it with the stupidest Plains stereotypes. I wonder if Durocher did a war whoop or dance to go along with her dress.

For more on beauty pageants, see Male Warriors and Female Princesses and Native Girls Judged on "Poise," Makeup.

Choctaw Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma

Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma has high hopes of changing the future

By Skiler SchmitzFormer Durant resident Deanna Cheek was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma on February 19, 2011, after spending 19 years of her life inside a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down. Cheek recently said that she wants to use her new title to advocate, educate and show the world that there is absolutely no stopping her or other individuals with disabilities.And:Living in Durant, Cheek teamed up with her Native American Tribe, the Choctaw Nation, where she was able to attend more courses that geared her back into the work field and helped her become a part of the Oklahomans for Independent Living office in McAlester.

Over the years, Cheek has received some very high mentions from both President Bill Clinton and Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating for Oklahoma Disabled Employee American Award and American Disabled Employee Award.Comment:  Who thinks of a blond woman in a wheelchair as an Indian? You do, now.

Below:  "Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma Deanna Cheek said she was injured in a car accident in 1992 and has spent the past 19 years living with a wheelchair. She will be competing in August for Ms. Wheelchair America in Michigan."

Black/Red: Related Through History

Black, Red and Proud

Radmilla Cody's crowning as Miss Navajo Nation in 1997 triggered an outcry and a conversation about what it means to be Native American. Now she's featured in a museum exhibit showing the rarely told history of African-Native Americans.

By Cynthia GordyIn a 1920 edition of the Journal of Negro History, Carter G. Woodson observed, "One of the longest unwritten chapters in the history of the United States is that treating of the relations of the Negroes and the Indians."

"Red/Black: Related Through History," a new exhibit at Indianapolis' Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, illuminates this rarely told story. Since the first arrival of enslaved Africans in North America, the relationships between African Americans and Native Americans have encompassed alliances and adversaries, as well as the indivisible blending of customs and culture.

"It's not received a lot of attention because it's not the dominant culture's story, although it's very important to the dominant culture's bigger view of the past," says James Nottage, curator of the exhibit, which includes narratives of enslaved blacks who traveled the Trail of Tears with their Native owners; slaves who intermarried into Native tribes as an escape from bondage; and the largely African-featured members of the Shinnecock tribe of New York, as well as shared traditions in food, dress and music.

Radmilla Cody, 35, a Native American Music Award-winning singer and anti-domestic violence activist, is also featured in the exhibit. The daughter of a Navajo mother and an African-American father, Cody was raised by her grandmother in the Arizona Navajo community, initially speaking only the Navajo language. In 1997 she was crowned Miss Navajo Nation, sparking controversy from some members who refused to accept her.

As one disapproving letter to the editor of the Navajo Times put it, "Miss Cody's appearance and physical characteristics are clearly black, and thus are representative of another race of people. It appears that those judges who selected Miss Cody have problems with their own sense of identity."

Cody, also the subject of a 2010 documentary, Hearing Radmilla, talked to The Root about growing up both black and Navajo, and how she handles frequent "Wow, you don't look Indian" comments.

The Root: The experience of having your Miss Navajo Nation reign challenged calls to mind the debate over the Cherokee Freedmen. Is this a common issue across the Native community, of African-Native Americans having trouble finding acceptance?

Radmilla Cody: I grew up having to deal with racism and prejudices on both the Navajo and the black sides, and when I ran for Miss Navajo Nation, that especially brought out a lot of curiosity in people. It's something that we're still having to address as black Natives, still having to prove ourselves in some way or another, because at the end of the day, it all falls back to what people think a Native American should look like.Comment:  For more on Radmilla Cody, see Celebrity Fundraiser Against Domestic Violence and Radmilla Cody Visits Russia.

Male warriors and female princesses

San Pasqual warriors, princesses step forward as role models

By Mara KnaubWarrior: a person who accepts challenges, who shows or has shown great vigor, courage and strength, respect for themselves and for their culture.

Angelito Alvarez and Draco Geronimo fit the description of “Iipaa kwanamii”—a warrior.

The boys recently accepted the challenge of representing their schools, community and families as warriors, committing themselves to being good role models to their peers in the San Pasqual Valley Unified School District.

They earned this honor by participating in a competition that also resulted in the crowning of the newest Miss San Pasqual Native Princesses. Brittany Miguel was crowned as the High School Princess, while Ramona Emerson was chosen as the Middle School Princess.

While the Miss San Pasqual pageant is a longtime tradition, choosing warriors is something new.Comment:  This pageant is mostly about representing one's culture. There's no talk about five-year-olds in makeup, so I can't complain about that.

I just find it interesting to see a tribe adopting Native stereotypes as their own. Native men are warriors, Native women are princesses. Native men are tough and macho, Native women are sweet and ladylike. Native men are from Mars, Native women are from Venus. Etc.

How about having princes and princesses, since they're equally foreign to Native cultures? If a princess represents something good and admirable, why doesn't a prince? Apparently princes are too effeminate for Natives, which suggests what's wrong with the whole beauty pageant concept.

Or how about warriors and warrioresses? Or just plain unisex warriors? Can't women be warriors in modern Native cultures? I guess not. As in male-dominated cultures everywhere, they're too busy being pretty and servile to lead or fight.

One probably could write a book on how treating (Native) women as princesses leads to abuse and violence. It's a fine example of how stereotypical perceptions cause real-world harm. We tell ourselves that men are strong and women are weak; then we act on these sexist beliefs.

For more on the subject, see "Reservation Hotties" and "Welfare Chicks" and Women and Indians as Peacemakers.

Below:  "Miss San Pasqual Brittany Miguel (center) with members of her court, Angelito Alvarez (back left), Draco Geronimo (back right), Ramona Emerson (front left) and Teresa Valenzuela (front right)." (Craig Fry/Yuma Sun)

Native girls judged on "poise," makeup

Indian beauty contests at Pendleton Roundup

Part 4 of 4 part series

By Jack McNeelThe Pendleton Roundup is much more than bucking horses and bulls. Perhaps the farthest extreme from rough stock rodeo is a beauty pageant–and two such pageants are part of Roundup week in Pendleton.

One contest, the Junior American Indian Beauty Pageant, is for girls from 5 to 13 years old. The American Indian Beauty Contest features young women from 14 to 22. An incredibly difficult job faced the judges, especially in the junior pageant where 98 contestants were entered, any one of which would have been a good choice. But the judges had to settle on just the top three.

There’s a lot of preparation like any beauty pageant. The judging is based half on regalia and half on poise so the mothers and aunties work hard to prepare the girls. Some of the dresses and other regalia have been passed down from several generations while others are new, possibly made just for this event. Hair is combed and braided and ties frequently added. Makeup must be just so. Then there’s the walking and smiling and waving–all that is practiced before watchful eyes and with advice from the adults.And:Gabriella’s mother told how her daughter had been preparing for this since she was 1. “She loves doing this contest. It’s one of her favorite things to do. She got third in 2004 and 2008 and this was her last year of eligibility. She was really excited and nervous about it being her last year. She was one of the last ones of the top 10 called so she was really nervous and scared. When they called her she was surprised and happy. Then it kind of hit her and she was really emotional.” Eventually, when she’s old enough, Gabby would like to run for Happy Canyon princess.Comment:  The pageant's recognition of regalia is okay. But "poise"? What do braided hair and makeup have to do with poise? It seems this pageant is judging how feminine--how pretty and presentable--these girls are and mislabeling it "poise."

The real problem is having a beauty pageant for girls as young as five. And getting them excited about it at age 1. This is why girls have body-image issues, people. It's why they become anorexic or bulimic. It's why some have sex and get pregnant as teenagers--to prove their worth as women. It's why others become depressed or suicidal--because they can't achieve the "glamorous" life of a beauty pageant winner.

So many levels of foolishness here. Native cultures adopting the white man's ways. Native girls being taught to smile and wave like Barbie dolls. And journalists writing about beauty pageants uncritically.

If you want to recognize Native regalia, great. Have a regalia contest that doesn't depend on hair, makeup, or poise. Honor the children who embody their culture without becoming stereotypical princesses.

For more on beauty pageants, see Miss Universe Canada Finalist in a Headdress and Documentary About Hearing Radmilla.

Below:  "Keahna Bill had her makeup applied by Crystal Pond, a Happy Canyon princess from 2006."

Miss Universe Canada finalist in a headdress

Denis Davila's Photos--Miss Universe Canada finalists International Travels

Here you can see Theresa Crame, a model and beauty-pageant contestant, in a headdress and fringed halter top and skirt. Naturally, it's pure stereotyping. It furthers the idea of Native women as exotic sex objects for white men. Which contributes to the tragic rate of violence and rape against them.

Apparently Crame was born in Vancouver and raised in British Columbia. One posting called her a native of Madrid, Spain, which could refer to her ancestry rather than her birthplace. Therefore, I presume, she's not Native--not that being Native would give her a valid excuse for her costume.

No doubt she thinks she's "honoring" the indigenous people of British Columbia with her costume. Right, by dressing in a Plains headdress and a sexy Halloween costume for some "Pocahottie." That's roughly like dressing up as a stripper in a nun's habit to honor a female Christian saint.

For more on the subject, see Khloe Kardashian in a Headdress and Cher in a Headdress.

Kenaitze man is Cosmo bachelor

Kenai guy is one of Cosmo's 'hottest bachelors'

CROWN:  Winner will be determined by a national online vote.

By Mike DunhamIs Curtis Hembroff the sexiest man in Alaska?

The Kenaitze Tribe member is representing the state in Cosmopolitan magazine's annual hunt for the "hottest bachelor" in America, featured in the November issue that comes out Tuesday.

On that night he'll be at Cosmo's annual Bachelor Party at the ultra-exclusive District 36 club in New York City. But whether he gets crowned as the Bachelor of the Year--which comes with a $10,000 cash prize and a $5,000 shopping spree--is up to his fans. The winner will be determined by votes taken online at cosmopolitan.com/bachelors-2010, and the deadline for voting is 11:59 p.m. this Sunday.Below:  "Curtis Hembroff of Soldotna, one of Cosmopolitan magazine's 51 'hottest bachelors' in America featured in the November issue, is shown at a photo shoot on a Florida beach in September. 'The dog was brought in as a prop,' Hembroff said."

Documentary about Hearing Radmilla

Radmilla Cody comes to Civic Center

By Alysa LandryShe grew up without running water or electricity.

Her reign as Miss Navajo Nation was controversial.

An abusive romantic relationship landed her in federal prison.

Yet Radmilla Cody, 34, credits her challenges for carving her into the woman she is. Her life is the subject of a film showing at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Farmington Civic Center.And: The film "Hearing Radmilla" was 10 years in the making, producer Angela Webb said.

Webb, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, started filming when Cody was Miss Navajo Nation.

"I didn't realize I would still be working on it 10 years later," she said.

The film evolved as Cody's life did. Webb particularly wanted to capture Cody's activism against domestic violence, she said.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Celebrity Fundraiser Against Domestic Violence and Radmilla Cody Visits Russia.

Below:  Radmilla Cody, former Miss Navajo.

Miss Oklahoma USA is Cherokee?

About Heather CookAs Miss Oklahoma USA and 3rd runner-up to Miss USA, Heather Cook has appeared in front of state-wide audiences as a motivational speaker and Master of Ceremonies as well as attending fundraisers, ribbon cuttings, press events and sports and entertainment celebrity events (with the likes of the Dallas Cowboys, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith and many more).

Heather was also a spokesperson and volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Special Olympics as well as an Honorary Ambassador of Goodwill for Oklahoma City.And:Heather is a family oriented mother who was married for over 10 years and has a charming 7 year old son. She is an American Indian with Shawnee and Cherokee heritage.

Her Cherokee lineage has been traced back to the early 1700s when her great (many times over) grandmother Letica Durham Howard married John Howard on the Cherokee Nations Reservation in Wilkes County, Georgia.

Heather and her son are registered, card carrying members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia.Comment:  The only problem with this is the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia isn't a federally recognized Indian tribe. Oops.

For more on the subject, see Trafficking in Tribal Membership and More Than 200 "Cherokee Tribes."

Below:  Heather Cook has been named the fifth "Face of FOX Toledo."

Miss Navajo's sheep butchering

'My hands were shaking'

Huge crowd turns out for Miss Navajo sheep butchering contest

By Noel Lyn SmithSheep butchering became a required category in the pageant in 1995, when the preservation of traditional culture gained emphasis.

Sheep butchering is unique to the competition and draws more spectators than any event aside from the coronation of the new Miss Navajo.

This year's audience did not disappoint. Every available seat was taken and some people had to sit on the ground or squeeze into any available space.

The nine hopefuls were divided into groups of three to butcher a sheep. They drew numbers to determine which portion of the sheep would be their responsibility.

Curley, Goodluck and Ambra Sue Nez were the first team to carry in a sheep from the trailer parked next to the pavilion.

With a steady hand, Goodluck cut into the sheep's neck as the audience broke into cheers and applause.Comment:  I gather the Navajo haven't converted to vegetarianism yet.

For more on the subject, see Miss Navajo Tackles Taboos and Miss Navajo Takes the Lead.

Below:  "Miss Navajo contestants Winifred Bessie Jumbo, right, of Two Grey Hills, N.M., and Tanya Lister, top, of Shiprock, participate in the pageant's butchering competition at Hazel Yazza Pavilion on Monday." (Leigh T. Jimmie/Navajo Times)

Miss Navajo tackles taboos

Saving the young people

Miss Navajo Nation tackles taboo topics of depression, suicide

By Erny ZahRecently Nelson sat at her desk in her dimly lit office in the Navajo Nation Museum. She wore a full set of turquoise jewelry complete with a cluster-style concho belt, bracelets and even collar pins. All of which matched her silver and turquoise crown.

Though she might look like the stereotype of Miss Navajo as a vintage Navajo woman transported into modern surroundings, when it comes to Nelson's platform, she's challenging some ancient Navajo taboos.

She understands the people's reluctance to engage in discussions about death or mental illness.

"The reason you're not supposed to talk about death is because you're asking for those things to come to you" in traditional Navajo thinking, she said.

As the traditional people see it, by talking about it "you're allowing it to happen."

Despite her knowledge and respect of some longstanding aspects of Diné philosophy, she openly advocates talking about depression and suicide saying that it's the only way to reach people who may be in danger of slipping away from their family and their people.

Dinah Dahozy Wauneka, supervisor of the Office of Miss Navajo, said it's the first time in her experience that a Miss Navajo has tackled a subject regarded as taboo. Nevertheless, she added, "With each generation, things change. At this day and age we have a different set of problems than we did 20 years ago."Comment:  Good that Nelson is using her position to do useful things. But I'm still not crazy about the idea of beauty pageants. She could perform the same duties in another position--for instance, goodwill ambassador.

Then there's this:For Nelson, the crown is also an opportunity to learn about being Navajo and to meet people, including young people.

She said in some classrooms the children are "awestruck" by her presence and one student asked if she knew Jasmine, a character from Disney's movie "Aladdin."

"They think I'm a Disney princess," she said.Once again we see the awesome power of mass media. A young woman enters a classroom in a traditional Navajo dress and the Navajo children think she's a cartoon character. They can't distinguish between the fictional Pocahontas and a real Indian woman.

And yet people have the nerve to say a movie like Twilight is just a movie? How many girls have new hopes and dreams because of a Disney or Twilight film...millions? How many could name a politician or scientist and how many can name the Twilight stars?

For more on beauty pageants, see Filipina Girl Is Navajo Princess and Hoopa Named Miss Indian World.

Below:  "Miss Navajo Nation Tashina Nelson, left, speaks to Seba Dalkai Boarding School students about positive thinking Feb. 4 during a weeklong suicide prevention and awareness training called Native H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Endure) in Seba Dalkai, Ariz." (Special to the Times--Donovan Quintero)