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Pow-Wow Oklahoma! Interviews
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Subject: George Alexander
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Occupation: UPS Truck Driver / Southern Style Fancy Dancer
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Tribe: Otoe-Missouria
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Interview Date: August 28, 2009
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Interview Time: 8:00 p.m.
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MW: Without a doubt, your boys are the product of outstanding teaching by outstanding parents and grandparents. Tell me George, do you have a full time occupation or do you consider contest Pow-Wows your primary source of income?
GA: I've been working for United Parcel Service for twenty years now. For the first five years, I had a morning shift that started at 4:00 a.m. and it ended at 9:00 a.m. So I pretty much could go dance anywhere and make Grand Entry. That was a sweet deal. I traveled alot during those five years. However, some Monday mornings, I drove straight to the UPS parking lot with my regalia and still had my face paint. I would quickly change into my work clothes right before my shift started. I had good supervisors that understood that my Pow-Wow lifestyle was important to me, so that made my job more enjoyable. Did I answer the question?
MW: I can just imagine how your supervisor would look when you came flying into the parking lot with your face paint on, that's classic! Well, now that we've established that you are a hard working man, tell me how George Alexander likes to unwind once a hectic work day is done?
GA: Wow, now that is a good question. Maybe it would be better to tell you what I don't do. Gardening, reading novels, knitting, etc, etc, (Laughing). If it's during college football season, that's what I'll be doing. I also enjoy attending any of the kid’s events, whatever they may be. Another thing I really enjoy is listening to music. Not just Pow-Wow music, but all kinds of music. I spend alot of time getting my songs and playlists ready depending on what I have scheduled on my D.J. Calendar.
MW: Speaking of D.J. playlists, I have been to a couple of the events where you have provided your sound services. I have to admit it; you really know how to fire up a crowd when you’re doing your D.J. thing. So when your not at a Pow-Wow, you can usually be found rocking the sound system as a D.J. for any number of events, please tell me more about your side business?
GA: Pow-Wows are definitely "not" my primary source of income, but they have allowed me to purchase some "top of the line" mobile D.J. equipment. I started "Alexander Productions" back in 1999 with the idea of providing my native peeps an affordable service. Anyone who has hired a D.J. knows how expensive it can be. Of course anyone can be a D.J. nowadays with the iPods and other similar devices. But do you have the "proper" sound system? How are you going to get it to the venue? Will it even be loud enough? Do you want to set the mood with a lightshow? This is where I come in. I have various system setups to ensure that there will be plenty of sound and light to enhance the event. I have provided music and sound for Health Fairs, Pow-Wows, Proms, Weddings, and every party event imaginable. I have even played for: birthdays, graduations, Christmas, Halloween, divorces, and 49's, you get the picture. Like I stated earlier, I have special rates for my natives.
MW: What was the largest venue or crowd for which you’ve been able to provide sound reinforcement services?
GA: In October 2006, they had the Checotah Community Pow-Wow. I recorded every song for their Pow-Wow that year and made copies for their committee. Another Pow-Wow that I can remember was the July 2005 Otoe Encampment. This was actually the first time that I tried out my new HHB CD disc recorder.
MW: How far are you willing to travel from Ponca City to provide your sound services to those who could use your skills?
GA: Anywhere! (Laughing) I was in "Dodge" just a few weeks ago. That's Anadarko, OK for those of you who didn’t know. But seriously, as long as you have a 10' x 10' space with a couple of electrical outlets, I'll go anywhere! Rates are always "negotiable".
MW: I like that George! You'll go anywhere, just like your UPS job right? Would you ever consider making your D.J. business your full time job or will this always remain a part time job for you?
GA: I've thought about this too. Since I'm not in Oklahoma City or Tulsa, I don’t think I could get enough business to run full time. All the local D.J.'s around here are all on a part-time schedule as well. If that were to happen, I would have to sacrifice some of my Summertime weekends. I get alot of calls in the Summer for local parties and of course, I have to turn those down because it’s Pow-Wow time! (Laughing) I pretty much close shop during the Summer, unless a Pow-Wow committee calls me.
MW: Ok, I think I’ve lobbed enough warm up pitches to you. Now it’s time to strap the bells on and talk some Pow-Wow! Can you recall the first time you’ve stepped into a dance arena?
GA: When I was little, around five, my Grandpa George Littlecrow served as a Head Singer quite often. When he sang at the drum, he would have his recorder with him. When the recorder was lying around the house, I would push play and just start dancing in the living room. My Grandpa Harvey Homeratha was also Head Singer often during this time, so I would get plenty of songs to practice too. Those were good times. I would "unofficially" dance in the arena until 1984. This was the year during the Otoe Encampment that my Grandparents paid my way into the arena. Grandpa Frank McClellan Sr. would be the one to take me around the arena. He talked to me, and then he would pray. The words that he spoke to me, I remember like it was yesterday. It was a new world for me being in regalia after that day.
(George Alexander - Posing!)
MW: When did you first start dancing fancy competitively?
GA: My Grandma, Amy Homeratha Littlecrow, would not allow me to contest as she wanted me to just enjoy dancing. I look back now, and fully understand why she did this. Sadly, she passed away in 1986. In our tribe, we mourn the loss of a loved one for one year. So one year later, after our period of mourning, I entered every contest I could. The competition was tough, especially back then, we would have three groups of Fancy Dancers just about everywhere you went. I went through some growing pains those first couple of years. 0 wins, all kinds of losses! (Laughs)
MW: I have been converting a lot of my old VHS Pow-Wow tapes over to DVD and I came across the 1993 Red Earth Pow-Wow where you were in a dance off against Joe Bointy for first place. Tell me why that contest victory was special to you?
GA: TWO WORDS.....JOE BOINTY! In my books, he's one of the modern legends. Joe is the epitome of Southern Style Fancy Dancing. Definitely one of the stronger dancers in the arena then and today. I was 23 years old at the time of that tie, and you talk about someone being nervous, that was me. You figure I didn't start dancing competitively until 1987, then winning one of the biggest dances in Oklahoma at that time? Oh man, I was on cloud 9 for the rest of that Summer. But let's not forget about Dwight WhiteBuffalo and R.G. Harris, they were there too. Two more modern legends in my opinion. While I'm on the subject of legends, the late Billy McClellan, Sr. was and always will be a true Southern Fancy Dance Champion. Not only was he a true champion, he also was one of those individuals that everybody gravitated towards because of his personality. I don't remember why Billy wasn't at Red Earth that year, but if he was, I probably wouldn't have tied with anybody! Billy was beyond good. I also remember that you and I were planning to go to Cannonball Pow-Wow that year mainly because everyone would be at Red Earth that year. I remember waiting on you to call me when you were ready to go. And I think you were waiting on me to call you, right? Well, no one called anybody and we ended up at Red Earth! (Laughing) Not only did I tie off, but you and Dennis Nevaquaya had a Grass dance off right before my tie. Classic! It was one of those weekends that ended on a very positive note.
MW: (Laughing) You’re correct, Dennis is my cousin and we often traveled together to Pow-Wows as well. As I recall, MGM gave us a trick song and that tie was for third place. I still give Dennis heck about whipping him in that dance off since he was singing with MGM and I was singing with Blackbird. Good times!
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