Finding the Center
Attending the Stanford University powwow in May is an annual rite
for me. Like most traditions, it helps
me find my center. It’s a good way to
begin a new season of Native American celebrations, and it’s close to home.
Yet within the comfort of tradition, it also feels important
to find something new. That’s what I was
seeking when I created this image. I’d
been experimenting with new ways to see traditional dancers when I noticed the
overwhelming flood light in my camera frame.
Instead of going with my first instinct – to eliminate the large,
distracting white light from my composition – I decided to make it part of my
subject. Though this is a night shot,
the huge light becomes the sun. Many
Plains tribes practice traditional Sun Dances, which once were banned and then
later restored by federal law. In these communities, this ceremony marks the beginning of a new
year. It’s a time for them to renew
their traditional spirituality, asking for a good year for their families and
tribe.
This photograph shows the timeless dance at the start of summer,
when night and all it represents transforms into day.
The sun is at its zenith and a dancer celebrates life.