Butterfly Insight

Ladies Fancy Shawl Dance ('The Butterfly Dance')

This is a video of the Native American fancy shawl women dance at a pow wow dance contest in New Mexico, 2012. The women's dancing represents the brilliant butterfily emerging from its cocoon.

The story of the Fancy Shawl tells of a Native woman who once lost her warrior husband. In sorrow, she went into a shell, like a cocoon. But soon she realizes that she must go on, and like a butterfly, emerges from her cocoon, in full flight to face the world with renewed hope and courage.

See also: Hopi Butterfly Ceremonial Dance

See also: Shoshone Butterfly Legend (Ladies' Fancy Shawl Dance Dance)