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When Kevin Bacon grooved and boogied his way through a small midwest town in the film “Footloose” he faced a combative adult populous who loathed dancing enough to enforce a ban of such activity. Oddly, dancing is seen in parts of our culture as sinful or taboo.

But for the Little Sun Drum and Dance group of Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation, dancing is a sign of culture and pride. It is a way to pass along stories and tradition from one generation to the next. Their movements are elegant. Each step is a representation of something greater than the simple motions we see. They are the joy of a kill or a move to a new location or an appreciation of earth and life.

It was a great experience to spend time with the Little Sun Drum and Dance group. After all, the Native American populous has lost their much of their identity since the arrival of Europeans in North America. Yet, this group continues to dance on in an attempt to retain their languages, cultures and ways of life.

To view a larger version of this SoundSlide, click here: LIVING LEGACY

Michael Smith, photo editor, shot the pancake breakfast yesterday (Monday) morning at the Depot Plaza. It’s was an odd pairing. Michael Smith and pancakes that is. He loves them nearly as much as life itself… But he went, and surprisingly, shot well despite eating a record 987 pancakes while shooting. Hey, that’s 984 more than I ate while collecting sound and I salute him for his feat of gastronomic excellence.

Thanks for looking.

To see a larger version of this SoundSlide, click here: PANCAKES

Cowboys are tough sons of guns. There is no doubt in my mind, and likely, none exists in the minds of others either.

On Saturday, I saw Croc Dumdi, a steer wrestler, fall from his steed at full charge. He skidded on the top of his head across the arena floor for nearly 10-15 yards before falling motionless on his stomach. After a couple seconds, he tried to come to his feet, head bleeding like a sacrificial lamb, and he fell again, unconscious. After the medics tended to him, he rose to his feet and walked off the arena floor with what looked like a raspberry-colored hair piece of blood covering his shaved head. He walked off! That’s tough, period.

Even with their myriad, and obvious, physical strengths, these cowboys often look for a solace for pains that cannot be shaken off or healed with a little dirt rub.

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WTE Outdoors editor Shauna Stephenson documented the Wyoming Game and Fish as they tracked and trapped bears to conduct research.

To view a larger version click here: BEARS