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30th ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING Day Parade Pictures

SAN DIEGO, CA, January 16, 2010, Martin Luther King Day Parade — The City of San Diego held its 30th annual Martin Luther King Day Parade in its Petco Park, Gaslamp Quarter, Market Street area and the SCAIR Soaring Eagles Dancers were part of nearly 3,000 participants who performed for the large San Diego crowds.

Youth Award Parade judges awarded the Soaring Eagles the third place trophy for their performance in the San Diego Martin Luther King Day Parade. Congratulations! photo: Chuck Cadotte

The award winning Native American youth group performed later in the afternoon on stage during the 12th annual San Diego Multicultural Festival at the Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade (across from the San Diego Convention Center).

The Soaring Eagles youth-cultural program is sponsored by the Southern California American Indian Resource Center, Inc., SCAIR — coordinated by San Diego Unified School District Indian Education Program. Program coordinator: Vickie Gambala.

The Soaring Eagles pass by Petco Park, Native American staff carrier Frank Gastelum (Yaqui grass dancer) waves to crowd.

Frank Gastelum, Yaqui grass dancer portrait pictured leading the 40 or so Soaring Eagles Dancers at the start of the downtown San Diego parade.

Soaring Eagles support the Martin Luther Day Parade

by Roy Cook, Opata-Oodham, Mazopiye Wishasha: Writer, Singer, Speaker

Soaring Eagles major participation in the January 16, 2010 Martin Luther Day parade in downtown San Diego was provided by San Diego Unified School District Title VII Indian Education coordinator, Vickie Gambala. She said, “It is nice to see our Reservation friends and pow wow people come out and join in support of the parents and Soaring Eagle children. We were pleased to have over forty dancers in regalia for the parade and special presentation later in the day.”

The SCAIR sponsored Soaring Eagles American Indian children received outstanding support from the dancing Intertribal singers, in regalia. All along the parade, as the show stopping, closing act Soaring Eagles passed in review, viewers’ cheers were constantly raised higher.

The Soaring Eagles performed on stage at the Multicultural event after the parade.

SCAIR American Indian dance instructor, Edward ‘Chuck’ Cadotte said, “Frank Gastelum held the Eagle Staff and led the dancers behind Carla Trouville's vehicle the singers sat in the truck bed and sang American Indian music for the dancers. WE had our Soaring Eagle banner flying and our group was in this order: Men Traditional Dancers in front, Women Traditional next, Fancy Shawl Dancers next, followed by the Jingle Dancers. The Grass Dancers brought up the rear. Followed by the families of the dancers.”

Every so often, it is nice to do something for general public appreciation and visibility. It is particularly encouraging to participate and receive positive response. As bonus recognition the Soaring Eagle, dancers are special award winners.

As Indian people, we always know we are special but to be cheered and applauded when we look great and feel good goes a long way to bolster ones self-esteem. Our Indian children are at risk each day by subliminal and direct forces to acculturate and continue the cultural genocide of assimilation. We look forward to future opportunities for them to feel good being what we are, Indian people.

Back to Roy Cook's Articles page.

Urban and reservation San Diego Native parade dancers enter the procession...

WHAT IS AN INDIAN CAR? — I asked the female driver where her new shiny black Indian car was, she said this was an "urban" Indian car...it had Indian blankets draped over the hood and large concert speaker strapped to it. The drum group road in the back and played through the Toyota's loudspeaker system.

Leland Red Eagle (Lakota) (left) and his partner, Terry Hensley (Shawnee), provided pow-wow style drum and vocals from the bed of the Soaring Eagles parade float (back of pickup truck).

Soaring Eagles dancing in downtown San Diego city streets prepare to make the turn onto Market Street.

American Indian Soaring Eagles instructors, mentors volunteers come from a variety of urban and reservation communities, pictured in Native-style regalia: Ernie Walton of The San Diego Inter-Tribal Singers.

SAN DIEGO NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH GROUP

The SCAIR Soaring Eagles Dance and Regalia Program uses a wide variety of qualified instructors, mentors, volunteers to teach young Indian children — grades K-12 — how to design and make their cultural regalias, perform traditional dances, and learn about common pow-wow protocol.

The SCAIR Soaring Eagles program provides poww-wow dancing and cultural regalia making workshops for urban and reservation American Indian school children K-12.

An American Indian baby boy in traditional Crow Indian cultural regalia pictured during in the parade with his family (below).

SAN DIEGO NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN FAMILY: A young Native American Crow-Navajo family (Queenabela, Violet, Karin, Tomas, Richard DeCrane) posed for a parade photo while a group performed for the judges ahead of them.

SAN DIEGO INDIANS: SCAIR Soaring Eagles arrived at Ninth & J Street and danced for the parade judges, announcers and large crowds of spectators in front of Petco's Park at the Park.

Lead Soaring Eagles instructor Frank Gastelum (Yaqui) raises a Native American ceremonial staff in his right hand. His Indian staff is wrapped in animal fur, brightly-colored cloth, and has a dream catcher, feathers, beads and cloth fringe.

MEN'S NORTHERN TRADITIONAL DANCER — Soaring Eagles dancers brought a pow-wow style cultural show to the streets of San Diego during the Martin Luther King Parade. Pictured: Richard Orvedal, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

A young female fancy shawl dancer spins and leaps during the show.

Soaring Eagles young boy Northern Traditional dancer, MLK parade, San Diego, CA.

Young San Diego girls dancing downtown in Gaslamp area during parade by Petco Park.

A Native American woman wearing animal fur and holding a blue shawl.

A young Native California girl is pictured with the SCAIR dancers proceeding up Market Street in the Gaslamp Quarter area of south San Diego parade route.

Two pretty young American Indian girls pose for a professional snapshot during the parade — young people in the program establish friendships and build good memories that last a lifetime within the Native American community.

A young American Indian father, Richard DeCrane (Crow-Navajo), poses for a San Diego family photo with his young son, Tomas, in their father and son matching Indigenous tribal regalia.

Two young San Diego Indian girls hold the Soaring Eagles banner just prior to entering the parade procession.

SAN DIEGO PARADE FACTS: Parade sponsored by the Zeta Sigma Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Grand Marshal: Dorothy Smith Organized by: Centre City Development Corp. Nearly 3,000 people participated in the parade, including police, firefighters, politicians, athletes, Native Americans, marching bands, dancers, Charger fans, border agents, school, college and university students and staff. Goal: Celebrate the rich cultures of San Diego.

SOARING EAGLES POSTER ART

DOWNLOAD HIGH RESOLUTION EAGLE DANCERS POSTER.

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PLEASE VISIT THE SOARING EAGLES' WEB SITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

SOARING EAGLES Proudly Sponsored by:
Southern California Indian Resource Center, Inc. SCAIR
San Diego Indian Center
Coordinated by:
San Diego City Schools Indian Education Program
Indian Human Resource Center
Project Coordinator: Vickie Gambala

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: If you would like to volunteer or help support the Golden Eagles Indian students, please contact Vickie Gambala off the SOARING EAGLES WEB SITE, including current class and event schedules, contact information, FAQ, registration and eagles art posters DOWNLOAD.

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POW-WOW REGALIA

See Roy Cook's CALIE Pow-wow History and Information article for more info and professional photographs portfolios and movies about Native American powwows in Southern California, San Diego County.