Young dancer inspires changes in one man's life

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Sometimes it only takes 30 seconds for your life to change.

When Travis Youngchief, 31, attended a powwow almost three years ago in Frog Lake, Alta., he had no idea his life would go in a new direction.

As he watched young boy, Sundance Wapass, who was about seven years old at the time, celebrate his Aboriginal culture by participating in the event, Youngchief felt a spark inside his own spirit.

"I only caught him dancing for about 30 seconds," said Youngchief, but it was all the time he needed. "He inspired me."

Growing up in Kehewin, Alta., Youngchief was always interested in music and dance, but he studied square dancing, the fiddle and guitar, instead of his own traditions.

"I didn't feel right about myself. I never felt accomplished," he said. Since Youngchief's awakening in 1999, he has begun a new journey into the spirit of himself.

"The last few years of my life have been totally beautiful," he said. "I have no other way to explain it."

After seeing Wapass dance, Youngchief decided he too wanted to begin powwow dancing.

As he started to research the costs and who could make him powwow regalia, he found that he had more knowledge than he realized.

Not able to find any one who could make his regalia at a cost he could afford, he started to explore how he could do it himself.

"I decided to dance. I didn't decide to make all this stuff, but I couldn't find anyone to make it," said Youngchief, adding that all of the items he needed for his outfit seemed to fall into place.

"What I needed I found."

However, he couldn't find any instructions on how to actually make the items, such as a feather bustle, a tail fan, or a the man's breast plate.

Even without this direction, Youngchief was able to produce all of these items. It just came naturally to him.

Youngchief knew this gift may have never been discovered if it wasn't for young Sundance and his dedication and love for his culture.

This is why on March 14, when Youngchief officially launched his book Wolf Creations, How to Make a Traditional Native Feather Bustle, he did so in Thunderchild where Sundance called home.

Youngchief wanted to present to Sundance the original feather bustle he describes how to make in his book, but he had to make that presentation to Sundance's younger brother Montana. Sundance died in a motor vehicle accident a short time after Youngchief saw him dance. Sundance was gone before Youngchief could share with the boy the story of how much he inspired him.

"I was looking forward to looking at him grow over the years because he was so into his culture," said Youngchief about the sorrow he felt after the boy's death.

Youngchief did, however, name his new born son after Sundance, the day after he gave the bustle to Montana.

"I did it to show Thunderchild that these two little boys inspired me just by the love and effort they put into their culture," said Youngchief.

Youngchief's book is the first of a three-part series he will be writing on how to make a variety of regalia, including the tail fan, wing fan, men's and ladies' traditional breast plates, feather hat, war bonnet and porcupine head-roach.

After spending hours researching his heritage and making this book, Youngchief said he feels at peace with himself.

"I feel whole," he said. "Proud of who I am and proud to be Native."

To order Wolf Creations, phone (780) 826-7729 or e-mail Youngchief at travis_youngchief@hotmail.com.