In a rite of passage as old as the land itself, a young uncle from the Choochoway First Nation has purchased their first Native Pride cap.
Officials said that Herman Eedog, 39, purchased the cap from a vendor at the community’s annual powwow. The cap, a blue trucker style emblazoned with a screaming eagle and the words Native Pride, was one of several such hats on display.
“There was some black ones with a dreamcatcher on them, some that had a howling wolf which was pretty nice, and a few red caps with buffalos and spears, but that eagle one really spoke to me,” Eedog told reporters.
“Like, it literally spoke to me—it said ‘buy me, boy.'”
In fact, witnesses said that the cap seemed to glow before Eedog picked it up and a loud drum beat was heard when they first tried it on.
Similar to elk, moose or deer antlers, Native Pride hats are worn by uncles who reach maturity. The signify that they are ready to begin uncling.