First Nations' Powwow a unifying and spiritual event for everyone
Amelia Ferrel
Issue date: 3/31/06 Section: Religion & Faith
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Gonzaga University will host the fifth annual "Unity in Spirit" powwow on April 1 at the Martin Centre. Organized by the First Nations Student Association (FNSA), this colorful event has been in the making for some time, and will include members of tribes from across the Northwest and beyond. Last year, the celebration was attended by at least 1,000 spectators, 300 dancers and 13 "drums," each consisting of several musicians. This year's powwow will also likely be no small assembly.
The word "powwow" was originally pauan in Algonquian and meant a meeting of medicine men. Today, however, it signifies a joyful gathering of native peoples at which friends from all over the country can mingle and reconnect. It is also a time to recognize achievements within the Native American community and to thank and honor the Creator and the spirits of ancestors. As the powwow is open to the public, another purpose is to share the culture with non-natives and promote unity and understanding. That the powwow is being held on Gonzaga's campus is especially important, according to Anna Gonzales, the adviser of the FNSA, because "it shows that we are open and receptive" to Native American prospective students.
The powwow promises to be an event worth seeing. Besides arts and craft vendors, visitors can expect a variety of dances and a collection of beautiful outfits. Dances are either competition or intertribal. In the competitive dances, dancers compete in separate age groups (including one just for "tiny-tots") for prize money that has been raised by FNSA members.
Women compete in traditional, fancy, or jingle dances, and men dance the men's traditional, men's fancy, and grass dances. Each dancer has put time and effort into personalizing his or her outfit, which is often a combination of sentimental regalia passed down through generations and more modern details that the dancers themselves have created.
In the intertribal or friendship dances, anyone - Native or non-native - is welcome to join in and experience the culture first-hand.
The word "powwow" was originally pauan in Algonquian and meant a meeting of medicine men. Today, however, it signifies a joyful gathering of native peoples at which friends from all over the country can mingle and reconnect. It is also a time to recognize achievements within the Native American community and to thank and honor the Creator and the spirits of ancestors. As the powwow is open to the public, another purpose is to share the culture with non-natives and promote unity and understanding. That the powwow is being held on Gonzaga's campus is especially important, according to Anna Gonzales, the adviser of the FNSA, because "it shows that we are open and receptive" to Native American prospective students.
The powwow promises to be an event worth seeing. Besides arts and craft vendors, visitors can expect a variety of dances and a collection of beautiful outfits. Dances are either competition or intertribal. In the competitive dances, dancers compete in separate age groups (including one just for "tiny-tots") for prize money that has been raised by FNSA members.
Women compete in traditional, fancy, or jingle dances, and men dance the men's traditional, men's fancy, and grass dances. Each dancer has put time and effort into personalizing his or her outfit, which is often a combination of sentimental regalia passed down through generations and more modern details that the dancers themselves have created.
In the intertribal or friendship dances, anyone - Native or non-native - is welcome to join in and experience the culture first-hand.