LED BY
Franklyn McNaughton
The Smoke Dance is an exhibition dance often highlighted at Haudenosaunee socials and festivals, and during public performances held at county and state fairs.
It is derived from an old dance for giving thanks and sometimes during droughts to ask the creator and the grandfather thunders to replenish the earth. The Smoke Dance is a rapid quick step dance that is exceedingly fast and difficult, and that requires dancers to stop on the very last note of the song. As a result, it is often used in dance competitions.
Frank McNaughton
An accomplished Haudenosaunee singer and dancer who has presided over hundreds of events and programs spanning several decades combines a unique blend of good-natured humour with cultural knowledge to educate and entertain audiences.
His extensive history extends back more than 35 years to work at the Native American Center for the Living Arts, where he and his expressive arts colleagues performed authentic and traditional songs and dances for visitors and guests from around the world. As a cultural resource coordinator at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre, Frank continues to apply his craft in the service of breaking down stereotypes and misconceptions about Indigenous peoples.
