Hoop dancing saved Terrance Littletent’s life.
Littletent grew up in an alcoholic environment but his life changed at the age of eight.
He was attending a powwow with his late uncle Kirby when a hoop dancer caught his eye.
Immediately he asked his uncle what the dance was and the meaning behind it. He knew that he wanted to hoop dance.
After a year of working on the dance, he was presented with his own hoops. His uncle taught him that with hoop dancing there are five different teachings: listen, watch, learn, respect and love. These teachings now represent how he lives.
Littletent’s hard work has paid off as he has travelled the world showing others the teachings behind the hoop dance. He has traveled coast to coast and overseas performing this dance.
He is thankful to meet new people, travel and share his gift from song and dance.
Littletent has many future goals that he wants to share with the world and is in the process of writing a book and an autobiography.
He is also working on carrying on his custom to the next generation.
“I have an oldest daughter, who is 23, I tried teaching her at the age of two. She just had my first grandchild, she’s two and she’s actually teaching her now. So those are the three generations,” Littletent said.
“That’s kind of my legacy, is to pass on that legacy to my next generation and my children.”
This week on Shaping Saskatchewan, Littletent talks about how hoop dancing changed his life and where his culture has taken him.