Sho-Ban tribal members featured at National Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Shoshone-Bannock tribal members Kaycee Dixey (left) and Susan Avila-Dixey sing a circle dance song at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev.
ELKO, Nev. — Traditional Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr. (Northern Cheyenne) invited Kaycee Dixey, Susan Avila-Dixey (both Sho-Ban), and James Shoshone (Owyhee, Nev.) to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev. to share circle dance songs, a brief history of the horse and how it helped the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and Paiute people.
Chief Phillip had one hour to present the history of the horse and the importance of the horse to indigenous people followed by songs by Kaycee and Susan. He gave 25 minutes of his time to Kaycee/Susan and James Shoshone who talked about his business, the Buckaroo art, along with the horsemanship Buckaroo regalia.
Traditional Chief Phillip shared stories of the horse.
Traditional Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr. presents oral history and importance of
the horse at the gathering.
Kaycee said they sang five horse songs and one Yampa (root) song. “The horse songs told a story of how the horses ran alongside our Native people.”
She said, “Standing on stage alongside renowned cowboy poets and musicians was a one-of-a-kind experience I will always carry with me. Sharing this experience with my nummi (little sister) was very heartfelt being there not just as performers, but as a representatives of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, made the moment deeply honorable and culturally significant.”
