WINSLOW — The sound of drums echoes along Route 66 in Winslow accompanied by the waves of Native American melodies as the Standing Horse Singers perform in the Route 66 Plaza. The group consists of Navajo men and women from all over Arizona that come together to practice their art.
Group organizer Aaron Dixon said, “We all live quite a ways apart from each other, so it is nice to have a place to practice.” The 11 singers and drummers in the group are from Standing Horse, Taylor, Leupp, Flagstaff and as far away as New Mexico. They come together in Winslow, as Dixon explained, “To practice, to share our music and our culture, and to give back to the community.” The dancers that perform with the group vary according to who is available at any given time.
Dixon said, “Pow wow derived when the United States government was attempting to make treaties with the local tribes. We came together to share dance and culture with each other.” It is because of the tradition of pow wow that Dixon brings his group to Winslow. “Dances belong to certain tribes,” he said, “they are sacred and very important. To perform the dances, you need a basic understanding of what the dances mean and what they are used for.”
The Standing Horse group plays and sings music for many different reasons. Some songs are for giving thanks, some are for asking for rain, or healthy crops, and some are simply to share in their beauty. Dixon said, “Our singers sing what they are inspired to sing by our Creator. Some are just about how beautiful the dancers are, some are very personal and only used for family ceremonies or with permission.”
New singers in the group are currently learning the ways of the Standing Horse group said Dixon. “I am teaching them the ways of our drum and the teachings we have gathered from various tribes so that we aren’t disrespectful. Because some of us are just learning, we are mostly doing social events, not any competitions or anything.”
“It is very important and worth it to stay connected to our culture and celebrate who we are as a people,” Dixon said. “There is always an open invitation to other singers, drummers and dancers to come out and share. The public is also welcome to come and watch, but we do ask that they remain respectful, it is a very personal and family-oriented event.”
The public is invited to witness their performances at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Route 66 Plaza, located on Second Street between Warren and Kinsley avenues. The residency in the Route 66 Plaza comes as a partnership with the City of Winslow, which hosts the group free of charge. There is no cost of admission to the public.
