coming to you live, san francisco city hall, the indians have all arrived. how about a big round of applause for our native american dancers in the house? rocking san francisco. singing loud, dance hard, all right.

all right, one more time, let's give it up for our singers, our dancers, kicking it live here in san francisco city hall, all right. good to be here tonight. seeing all these shining indian faces once again. could i have all the native americans please remain standing? all native americans, stand up. how about a big round of applause for our native americans here for native american heritage month in november. all you non-indians, just look

around. this is what custer saw at the little bighorn, and you know what he said to his men? where did all these indians come from? once again, welcome to the sixth annual nida american heritage month celebration here at city hall. -- annual native american heritage month cicelebration. i would like to thank our host for this month, native american aids project, the mayor's office, the san francisco native american health center, and kqed public broadcasting. how about a big round of applause for our host? thank you.

at this time, when indian people -- when we gather, we throw on our regalia, our outfits. we do not call them costumes. if you are from oklahoma, we call them in being close -- clothes. it is good to see all these dancers and singers as well, their families. when we gather like this, we start out with prayer, so please stand if you are able. creator, grandfather, we give thanks this day for the many blessings for this beautiful day, this opportunity to honor our own here in san francisco city hall. we give thanks to native and non-native alike, those that are

here today. when this ends, we hope that they travel safe, that they continue this relationship, creator. we remember the words spoken here by the leaders of our native american community. creator, blessings upon them. our seniors, are dancers, everyone in attendance. remember those that have passed that are not able to be here, i am for health -- in poor health. remember our veterans. we know you have told us there is no such thing as a good war. we ask that our veterans come home safely and return to their families, their tribes.

we pray these things come late -- these things humbly to you, grandfather. [singing]

creator, we give thanks this day. the best it could possibly be. if i've left anything out, creator, grandfather, again, i am a humble two-legged on mother earth. we give thanks this day in your name. you may be seated. thank you.

going back to our native american project singers, appropriate song. we will have our dancers come on out. our dancers were led out by mr. larry harris andon -- harrison. thank you, larry. these dancers in front of you, nor than traditional, seven straight, double bustle, and

our grass dancers as well. two starts. all right, looking good. good dancing, good singing going on. san francisco, look out. ♪

[inaudible] dance hard. sing loud. make them dance. all right, put your hands together one more time for our fancy dancers. all right. also, seven straight. all right. calling into the arena at this time, our women's traditional. come on out. women's traditional, all ages, women's traditional, come on out. no. traditional, southern co op

, this is your contest. i'm kidding. the only one judging you is margin right there. make sure you have your numbers displayed. all right. when you are ready. two sides. the style of dance from our northern plains, our southern plains. kiowa, ajibwe, blackfeet, lakota. this is a side step.

♪

boys and men, stand by. once again, put your hands together for our women's no. traditional southern claw -- northern traditional southern claw. this style of dance, before our dances would start, they would call upon the grass dancers to come out, stomp that grass down. usually, it was about chest high. in order for our other dancers to dance. when you are ready, make them dance. that is your style, boys. dance hard. dance hard. ♪

this style of dance coming to us from the north. one of the most competitive styles of dance. all right, one more time, our

men's and boys' grass dancers. good dancing. all right. calling into the arena, our jingle dress dancers, make your way into the arena. all ages. michele, hi. gina. charlene harrison. all right. when you are ready, make them dance. all right, doubled the -- double beat. this style of dance once again

coming to us from the north. the ojibwa, lakota, dancing throughout indian countries. again, one of our most competitive styles of dance. ♪

alright, one more time, give it out -- up for our jingle time dancers. [applause] coming into the arena, our women's fancy shawl dancers. make your way into the arena.

when you are ready, make them dance.

all right, one more time. good singing, dancing. all right. [applause] how are we looking over there, robert? good? all right, calling out our double bustle fancy dancer, mr.

edgar santiago. all right. [applause] edgar, are you tired from last night? all right. when you are ready. make them dance. ♪

all right. [applause] thank you, mr. edgar santiago. [applause] all right, calling all our dancers into the arena one more time. a round dance. dancers, come on out.

how about another hand for our dancers, singers? all right. rocket, city hall. here we go. all right, when you are ready, make them dance. ♪ all right. back in oklahoma, we have this round dance. [inaudible] we've got northern style of round dance.

one of our social dances, friendship dances. [inaudible] michael durant, come on out. join our dancers. aurora, come on out and then joined our dancers. nathan, come on out. those four honorees, joined our dancers.

and good to see all these dancers out here rocking. san francisco, looking good. go, dancing good singers. oh, yeah.

♪

all right, one more time, put it together for our dancers and our singers. coming to you live. all right. have our dancers get ready for their exit, so we will have larry harrison, will you lead our dancers out? robert leroy will be the last one to exit. and we do that because after our dancers leave, as they are making their way out, a veteran

should be the last one to leave that arena. when you are ready. please stand if you are able as our dancers make their exit.

i want to thank each and every one of these dances for coming out, helping us to honor our own. no. traditional dancers, string dancers, grass dancers, no. -- northern traditional, southern coif, gene will dancers, seven traditional as well. our bets the war dancer. thank you. good singing, good dancing, all right, one more time. let's hear it for our singers and our dancers. looking good.

all right, good job. all right. we are calling all our veterans to come up. veterans, you do not need to be native american. all our veterans, come on up. randy surely, where are you at? lead them out. -- randy shirley. i had someone asked me why we

honor our veterans. one of the dumbest question is i have ever heard. i was offended when i heard it. i'm still offended. you wonder why native people honor our veterans. because my elders said so. before r.e.m. men, our young women go off to serve in the military, back home, we have ceremony to protect them, to make share -- make sure that they return home safe to their family, to be a round their friends