2006年VOA标准英语-2006 Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma Showcases D

By Joseph Mok and Wang Yiru
Washington, DC
25 July 2006
 
watch Red Earth Festival report

The 20th Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival was held last month in Oklahoma City, in the western United States.  The festival's art and dance competitions have helped establish Oklahoma City as one of the most important Native American arts and cultural centers in the U.S.  VOA's Elaine Lu narrates¹.

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Red Earth Festival Indian dancers  
  
It is one of the largest cities in the Great Plains Region of the U.S., with the Oklahoma River winding² through it and impressive skyscrapers³ towering in its downtown business district. Oklahoma City is home to the Red Earth Festival. The festival has been voted in the Top 100 events in North America by the American Bus Association.

Members of nearly 100 tribes from throughout North America gathered at the festival to celebrate and share the richness and diversity of their heritage.  Dance contestants⁴ enter the festival site in a kaleidoscope of color, sound and movement.

Some 600 dancers from all over North America came here to compete. There are different dance categories.  Prairie Chicken Dance is a new category for this year.  

 
Rod Atcheynum
  
Dancer Rod Atcheynum comes from Canada. He describes the dance technique. "What a person is supposed to be doing in a chicken dance is imitating the mating dance of a prairie chicken.  We dance to celebrate life. You are happy that you are alive. You dance on mother earth so that your people will be more fertile and produce more children."

Native Americans use the word "regalia" for traditional clothing worn for ceremonial occasions.  Each tribe is identified with its unique clothes, headdresses and ornamentations. 

Atcheynum explains the use of regalia. "When you put your regalia -- your traditional outfit⁵ -- on, you are dressing⁶ up your spirit. And when you get out on the dance floor, the drum, the singing, it makes your spirit dance. So it is not really you out there dancing, it's your spirit."

Regalia are not only bright and beautiful; they are meaningful for Native Americans. "The longer hair is porcupine⁷ hair. The shorter hair is deer tail. And the feathers on top are eagle feathers.  Porcupine is very powerful. You put it high on your body for honor and respect for that animal, therefore he will then go and help you out.  This is pretty much old style. The ottor -- it is revered⁸ highly by native people because it lives at two different worlds," Atcheynum said.

The dance competition at Red Earth is one of the rare occasions when dancers from America's northern and southern tribes can be seen together in one venue⁹. 

 
Tyrone Galey, judge 
  
Tyrone Galey judges the dancing. "The northern, you would probably say you would slow down on the steps. The southern speeds up on the steps. You will see the difference where the bustle¹⁰, the ropes.  That has a lot to do with it."

Judges consider many factors when evaluating the dance routines. Galey expresses the judging criteria¹¹. "The steps, some are dancing better to the drum.  How pretty you look, how the colors and rhythms work along with the regalia."

Some 250 Indian artists display their creations in the art market area of the Red Earth Festival.  Mary Howard is one of them. "Red Earth is very unique.  There is a feel that I do not really feel at other Indian art shows. Red Earth is very mystical somehow I think." 

Eric Oesch  
  
Eric Oesch is the public relations director for the festival. "The Red Earth Festival is an event to highlight and showcase Native American art and culture.  One of the main things we like to do is to share cultures with everybody. So the Red Earth Festival invites people of all cultures to come to the event." 

There are activities, art and storytelling for children throughout each festival day.  Mothers and daughters can enter their own category of dance competition.  Each year since 1987, the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival has attracted 25,000 visitors to Oklahoma City from around the world. 

1 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

2 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

3 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

4 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

6 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

7 porcupine   

n.豪猪， 箭猪

参考例句：

• A porcupine is covered with prickles.箭猪身上长满了刺。
• There is a philosophy parable,call philosophy of porcupine.有一个哲学寓言，叫豪猪的哲学。

8 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

9 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

10 bustle   

v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

11 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。