CROW AGENCY — Crow Fair organizers anticipated 25,000 would come out to what they call the teepee capital of the world.
The tribe hosts and shares its dances at the Crow Tribal Dance Arbor in Crow Agency for five days.
“So it's subtle and nuanced style of dance,” Levi Black Eagle said about the dances for the Crow Hot Dancers. “ It's not super in your face and aggressive.”
Black Eagle and his son, Danger, are part of the Crow Hot Dancers, showcasing the unique Crow style.
“Feels pretty good,” said Danger Black Eagle, Levi’s son. “Can show other people your culture. I like doing that, showing people my culture and stuff.”
“With my son, what we like to instill is the fact that we dance because we love it.,” Levi Black Eagle said. "We dance because there's a healing effect in our outfit.”
“The drum is very, very important,” said Darrin Old Coyote, one of the singers. “Without the drum, there wouldn't be no dancing, there wouldn't be no celebration.”
He drums and sings with at least three generations of his family.
“I'm singing with my grandpas,” Old Coyote said. “They're the ones teaching us to sing, carry on these family songs.”
While not everyone dances or sings, the Crow Fair is important to every tribal member.
“There is joy,” said Britt Rogers, a member of the tribe. “And there is something that we take part of in this way of our life and to make sure that we're here as a great nation for our people.”
That great nation wants to pass on the culture, traditions, and history to the children.
“Crow Fair is just about family fun tradition," said Angela Howe, one of the parade judges. "It's not just the pow-wow. “It's a very unique celebration, the teepee capital of the world.”
“We’re proud of the fact that we're able to keep our language, our culture and our traditions alive,” said Levi Black Eagle. “We're doing really well in starting from a young age and raising them up like this so that when they get older, they can raise their kids the same way and that way we will never lose it.”
