Johnny PostOak demonstrates grass dancing at the 2023 Indigenous People’s Day celebration at Western Carolina University. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photo)
By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Amy PostOak, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), and Johnny PostOak, Mvskoke, are the husband and wife who own and operate Three Sisters Design & Supply. They have three daughters, Kyndra, Rhiannon, and Mia. Johnny, a grass dancer, has brought his daughters into the powwow circle, while Amy works behind the scenes to make sure the dancers compete with braided hair and quality regalia.
2023-24 Teen Miss Cherokee Kyndra PostOak dances jingle with her sister, Mia, at the 2023 Cherokee Central Schools Powwow held Nov. 21 in the Charles George Memorial Arena in Cherokee, N.C. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photo)
“I’ve been dancing since I was about 6. Well, at first, I was just drug to wherever. We used to go all over. I started as a fancy dancer, and when I was about 15, I switched to grass,” Johnny said of his powwow history.
“In ’96, ’97, we used to dance downtown. It was me and my brothers and sisters. We danced and did shows here and there…It’s a good thing. It teaches the girls something to be proud of. [Powwow] started because that’s how we preserved our cultures in dancing is through powwow, so we could share it and dance. It was the only dance at one time that we could do freely.”
Kyndra also started dancing at 6, which prompted her father to start dancing again after quitting. “One time we went to a powwow, and she said, ‘Dad, how come you don’t dance?’ And I don’t know, I was just like, I need to dance. So, we were actually living in Tahlequah (Okla.) at the time, and we were getting ready for holidays, and I put an outfit together in a week. Everything from moccasins all the way to the ropes. We did everything because I didn’t have anything, and I’ve been dancing again ever since, over nine years now.”
2023-24 Little Miss Cherokee Rhiannon PostOak, second from left, and 2023-24 Teen Miss Cherokee Kyndra PostOak, right, dance in grand entry at the 45th Annual Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Fourth of July Powwow held at the old Cherokee High School site in Cherokee, N.C. They are shown with 2023-24 Junior Miss Cherokee Kennedy Moore, left, and 2023-24 Miss Cherokee Scarlett Guy, second from right. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Kyndra said she chose jingle dancing because of the sound, but now she jokes that she can’t walk anywhere without making a bunch of noise.
“I thought [powwow] looked nice, and it seemed fun. So, we got ready and started at the Fourth of July Powwow. It’s been 10 years now or just about that. I’ve always danced jingle.”
Amy said they make their regalia as a family. “We work together and make regalia probably all year long. [Kyndra] started helping with making all the regalia. The other two [Rhiannon and Mia] don’t necessarily help yet. I think Rhiannon’s interested, but she’s only 9, so we’ll see.”
Johnny PostOak dances grass while his daughter, Mia, dances jingle at the 2023 Cherokee Central Schools Powwow held Nov. 21 in the Charles George Memorial Arena in Cherokee, N.C. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photo)
Kyndra reminisced on her first dresses, “My first dress was made by someone else, but I don’t think I have that much of a connection to it as much as I do the next dress, which he [Johnny] made. It was a satin dress that took forever to sew,” she said.
“That was when we first started making anything, and of course we start with a jingle dress,” Amy joked.
“I mean it wasn’t one of our best dresses… My mom kind of showed me how and she said, ‘Okay, now you got it, there you go,’” Johnny said.
“I was really proud of that dress,” Kyndra said. “That one and the one after it. The turquoise one. I love that dress.”
Amy agreed, “Yeah, that’s always been her favorite. We can never make another like it.”
2023-24 Little Miss Cherokee Rhiannon PostOak fancy dances at the 2023 Cherokee Central Schools Powwow held Nov. 21 in the Charles George Memorial Arena in Cherokee, N.C. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photo)
“In making their regalia, we say a prayer with the jingles, think good thoughts as we’re making the regalia, those kinds of things,” Amy said.
Kyndra added, “As you’re tying the knots to sew it onto the dress to where they connect, you think good thoughts. And usually, I’m the one cutting those.”
The younger daughters might not help with their regalia yet, but they enjoy dancing. Rhiannon is a fancy dancer, and Mia does fancy and jingle. “We tried to start [Mia] traditional, but that just was not for her,” Amy laughed.
“I think she’s more jingle just dancing wise, seeing her whenever she does fancy, she turns to jingle,” Kyndra said of her younger sister Mia who is five years old.
“I think she wants to fancy because Rhiannon fancies,” Amy said.
“I’ve always taught the girls that you dance because you want to. And there’s people there that used to dance and can’t anymore, so that’s who you’re dancing for. We don’t dance for the money. It’s good when you get money, but we dance because we love to.”
Amy PostOak (middle) poses with her daughters, Kyndra (left) and Rhiannon (right). Amy held the title of 2003 Miss Cherokee. (A&M Photography)
Johnny was the first person to teach the girls how to dance. “All my sisters had moved away, and Amy didn’t dance, so I mean, I had to show them how to dance. I had to dance jingle,” he grinned.
“I had the heaviest feet for the longest time,” Kyndra laughed.
“Because the grass dancer kind of stomps, so she danced like him,” Amy added.
The PostOaks have enjoyed powwowing as a family. “With everything we do. We always go as a family. Everything we do, whether we’re in the woods digging ramps or we’re on a walk on a trail, or we have a garden and we are all out there working in it. And we’ve always tried to do everything as a family because that’s how I grew up. We did everything together. The work goes by faster and things get done, but also to just have that family time and to be together, I feel like a lot of people don’t do that anymore,” Johnny said.
They have also extended their family along the way, stating that their connections on the powwow circuit are one of their favorite aspects of the dance.
Amy detailed an almost inexplicable feeling that comes along with being at the powwow. “Just that feeling, that feeling at grand entry. Everybody’s ready to dance, everybody’s happy and having a good time. And you’re surrounded by colors and sound and it’s just energy. It’s that energy. There’s nothing like it.”
