What is Men’s Southern Straight Dance?

Men’s Straight Dance, also known as Southern Straight Dance or Southern Traditional, is a style of Native American powwow dancing. The dance recounts the story of hunting or war parties searching for the enemy. The origin of the Straight Dance is attributed to the Southern Plains tribes in Oklahoma. The Hethushka, a prominent war society of the Poncas, is commonly attributed with the creation of the dance; however, the Pawnee, Omaha, Osage, and Kiowa tribes have sometimes been credited with creating the dance.

Dance clothes worn by the dancers presents a formal, tailored, and prestigious form. Accordingly, the slow and proud movement of the dance style matches this attire. This is a “Gentlemen’s” dance, which tells the story of a hunting or war party on the trail of an animal or an enemy. The art of Straight Dancing is in the little, sometimes unnoticed things, both in the movement and the outfit. Smoothness, precision with the song, knowledge of dance etiquette, and a powerful sense of pride mark the outstanding straight dancer.

Straight Dance Regalia

The dress of Straight Dancers will vary from tribe to tribe. Among items that distinguish Straight Dancer’s attire from other styles is the use of ribbonwork “suits”, otter “drags” worn down the back, and the use of a single roach feather.

The Straight Dancer’s outfit consists of front and back knee-length wool broadcloth aprons and a back “tail” which hangs to the ground. An “otter” or “hair plate” drop (or drag) is worn down the back, extending from neck to ground, trailing behind the dancer. Cloth or buckskin leggings are worn over close-fitting bike shorts (a “breechcloth” going between the legs is not worn at powwows today). The dancer may wear a traditional ribbon shirt, a vest, bandoliers and a bone breastplate. Headgear of a porcupine-hair roach or otter turban and a neck scarf completes the basic outfit. A dance stick and eagle feather fan is carried, and a “tobacco” pouch may be carried to hold cigarettes, money, and keys.

Ribbon Shirt, Scarves & Bandoliers

The ribbon shirt is made of satin, brocade, or floral print material, with contrasting ribbon. The neckerchief, scarves, and arm band ribbons match the ribbon in the shirt. Scarves are attached to the bandoliers at the shoulder blades. Dancers sometimes carry a pouch of white deerskin, with beaded decoration or other types of bags. The bandoliers match as to materials and colors, but may have from one to three strands or sometimes even four. They are made of bone hairpipes and beads and are worn crisscross on the body.

Finger Weaving: Garter & Tab Sets

Garters are normally finger woven yarnwork, with matching side tabs that hang from hip to mid-calf. More elaborate sets have beads woven into the fabric. Sometimes, narrow beaded strips with yarn pom-poms on the ends are worn in place of yarnwork. Osage style (multi-ribbon) or Sac and Fox style (4-ribbon) ribbon work runs down each side of the aprons, the leggings, and three bars of it cross the trailer. The aprons, leggings, trailer, and otter dragger (or drop) are all made of heavy wool, usually dark blue. Red wool is traditionally reserved for the eldest son. One, two, or three ribbons bind raw cloth edges not covered by the main ribbon work, and these edges are ornamented with white edge beading. Rainbow selvage edge broadcloth is used for the finest sets of ribbonwork. A ribbonwork vests may also be worn.

Kiowa and Comanche Tab Leggings

Kiowa and Comanche usually were “tab leggings”, usually made of white or natural leather, but sometimes made of canvas. At each knees, two tabs hang, usually backed with red or blue wool. Horsehair or twisted leather fringe hangs from the bottom of each tab, which are also decorated with lanes of lazy stitch beadwork and edge beading. Kiowa tabs are generally triangular, with the end coming to a point. Comanche tabs are generally squared off at the end. Below the tabs going down the leggings are many strands of twisted leather fringe.