Calling for a Blanket Dance

Powwows, and the Gourd Dance in particular, are a motif that speaks to the themes of Resilience and Family Bonds and Identity Development, but also suggests the possibility of healing from trauma. Ever’s grandfather Vincent, after he commits to sobriety, introduces Ever and his cousin Quinton to their Kiowa heritage through participation in powwows, the Gourd Dance, and through wearing the ceremonial regalia that he and Turtle sew for the boys. He helps his young grandsons to develop a sense of cultural identity. Through the pride that they take in their Kiowa beliefs, values, and traditions, they learn to take pride in themselves. For Vincent, too, powwows are sites of redemption and healing: It is only late in his life that he gives up drinking and diverts his energy into his grandchildren’s cultural development. Vincent thus heals himself by helping others, and that model will also become a rubric for Ever, who will ultimately find self-healing and redemption through his work with at-risk Indigenous boys. Powwows are described as “a place to be rescued, healed, given a second chance” (147), and multiple characters within the