Dazzling

 I know I have previously posted thoughts about needing to look beyond the trappings of culture and class to see the individual beneath - and I meant it - however -OMG!

What gorgeous trappings!

This weekends visual input was SO intense at times that it made my eyeballs throb!

The beading, sewing and artistry expressed on the costumes, for both men and women, were extraordinary.

Having previously been only to the intimate (small) Ring Thunder Wacipi, I was in no way prepared for the pageantry and beauty of such a large tribal gathering.

I was immediately transformed into "She who stalks with her camera" and I provided many tribal members with their own taste of dealing with the paparazzi! The majority were very gracious about my inarticulate expressions of admiration and with the interruption of their activities but even the ones whose timing or agendas differed from mine made it clear it wasn't personal.

Hey, no problem man, we cultural parasites have tough skin!

(Clicking on the collage will provide an enlarged image, for my technologically challenged friends who may not know that !)