LEAD: It’s Round-Up rodeo and Happy Canyon Night Show week in Pendleton, Oregon [Sept. 16-19]. At Happy Canyon, an over-century-old Indigenous dress will make an appearance. It’s been worn and passed down through five generations. N-W-P-B’s Senior Correspondent Anna King has our story. 

STORY: 

SOUND: Happy Canyon sound chief’s welcome 
Covered wagons with ornery oxen, Native Americans riding fast horses and a live orchestra make up the Happy Canyon Night Show.
SOUND: Happy Canyon music  One dress featured in the show ... is one hundred and eleven years old. She’s an antelope hide dress.
Alvina Huesties: “I believe I was about 25, and my grandmother brought it out and she put it away again. But she showed it to me. She said, ‘This is your dress.’” [:15]

That’s Alvina [ALL-vine-ah] Huesties. She’s 79. This dress has been in her family for five generations. It features a brightly colored shoulder-area of tiny-seed beadwork. Colored chrysanthemum [CHRIS-san-tha-mum] shapes punctuate the design. Long fringe flirts along the dress’ edges.
Alvina Huesties: “And I said ‘Ohhhhhh.’ I didn’t know what to think. ‘Grandma's giving me a dress?’ I was barely able to get a beaded belt.” [:13]

She got that belt, but Alvina didn’t get the dress until later. 
Alvina Huesties: “When my grandfather passed away, I think I was about 35, the dress came out, and she said ‘Here’s your dress, you take care of it now.’” [:16]

Alvina was a Happy Canyon princess in 1963. 
Later, Alvina’s daughter — Althea Wolf — was a Happy Canyon princess, too. Althea says all the family dresses hold conversations, energy and memories of those who’ve made and worn them. 
Althea Wolf: “So if you’ve ever tanned a hide, you know there is a lot of wringing, there’s a lot of stretching, and while you’re doing that you’re usually talking and laughing and telling stories and listening to stories. And, and that’s just the tanning part.” [:19]     

Now this treasured dress is being donned by Althea’s  18-year-old daughter, Manaia Wolf. Manaia is one of two Happy Canyon princesses who are promoting the Western show. Manaia says when she wears the over-century-old dress – people sometimes try to touch her. Or feel her braided hair wrapped in otter furs. Especially adults at the rodeo, and in classrooms of children.
Manaia Wolf: “And you’d be like, ‘Oh, don’t touch me,’ but like, ‘Hi!’ They’d reach a few times and I’d let them touch a little bit, and then I would calmly brush their hand away, not in a rude way or an aggressive manner, but in a gently, correcting them kind of way.” [:19]   

It’s just before the big Happy Canyon show.  Amid the teepees, and in her beaded dress, Manaia helps to braid her cousin’s long hair. These young women were raised together. They talk and tease.
Manaia Wolf: “Maybe you shouldn’t argue with me, maybe you should just trust me … ”
Althea Husties: “I’m not trusted to be on a recording.”  

But this dress she’s wearing is alive … according to Manaia, Althea and Alvina. The elements that make it up, and the garment itself – live. When it comes out, it recruits energy and makes new memories. 
Manaia’s grandmother, Alvina, says some of the loved people who have cared for this dress are gone now. 
Alvina Huesties: “To talk about it now, it’s a little hard.”
Anna King: “I’m sorry.” [muffled]
Alvina Huesties: “But the past is still alive. It comes back and we get to see the dresses all come out and be happy for who they are.” [:23]

At the start of the show, Manaia rides in on her appy-quarter horse with all his fringy trappings. 
SOUND: Happy Canyon show: “And Princess Manaia Wolf!”

Alvina Huesties: “When you see that dress and you’re sitting down, you’re happy for the ones that are wearing that dress, it brings back lots of memories, about yourself, your sisters and your cousins – when you were all dancing together.” [:17]

This year, the dress is with the people. 
SOUND: “And now on with the show…” [applause/ sound fades]
At the Happy Canyon Night Show in Pendleton, Oregon … I’m Anna King. 
SOUND: Happy Canyon singing: “Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ … wagons West are rolling …” [1 min music tag/ host fades out.]