As soon as I entered the hall, I heard the distinct sounds of a drum circle. The beating of the drum was so loud and strong that I could feel it, too. The music of the drum circle transformed the surroundings so well that I immediately forgot I was in a rather drab exhibition hall at the Richmond Racetrack.
The sounds and sights of a modern pow wow are one-of-a-kind and well worth a visit! Last November, I attended The Richmond Great American Indian Exposition Pow Wow and Show. It’s one of the smaller pow wows, with just over 100 participants. Big or small, pow wows are a wonderful experience.
The music of a pow wow is unlike that from any other culture that I know.
The Drum: A group of men beat a single drum. This drumbeat represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth. With all of the men beating the drum in unison, the heartbeat is heard and felt by dancers and spectators alike. Even in larger and outdoor gatherings, the beat of the drum is quite powerful.
The Songs: The men of the drum circle sing loudly and passionately. Their voices are intertwined with the beat of the drum to create a truly unique sound. While some songs have clear words, many are partially or exclusively vocables. These vocables are symbolic and have deep meaning.
The songs of the pow wows reflect drummers’ tribal heritage and history. With 574 Federally-recognized tribes and at least 60 more that are state-recognized, there can be many histories, traditions, and languages represented. Vocables allow songs to be shared across languages.
Pow wows are a celebration of culture, and the drum circle is the centerpiece of the pow wow. Modern pow wows can also host competitions, including drum circle competitions.
The drum circles are also the backdrop for all of dance competitions. These competitions are categorized by dance type, sex, and age group. At one time, dances were distinctly identified with particular tribes or regions. Over time the dances have blended together, but some still reflect different regions of the country. For example, the women’s jingle dress dance comes from the upper midwest. And some dances are quite new, such as the women’s fancy shawl dance.
Dancers spend a considerable amount of time perfecting their dance. Just as important as dancers’ moves, are the regalia. Dancers create colorful masterpieces of beadwork and needlework that can incorporate traditional materials such as feathers, animal skins, and glass beads. The intricate detail of each design is truly magnificent and shows the importance of regalia to the dance. Regalia reflects the dancers’ individuality as well as their family and tribal histories. For me the regalia, especially the beadwork, is the most fascinating part of the pow wow.
The pomp and pageantry of a pow wow is really wonderful to experience. A pow wow begins with the Grand Entry and ends with a similar ceremony. The audience respectfully stands as the procession passes, with tribal chiefs and elders in prominent positions. Leading the procession are the flags of the US and participating tribes. A friend voiced her surprise by the American flag having such a prominent place in the pow wow, given the historical relationship between the US government and Tribes. Surprising it might be, but it makes sense given that “American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the Armed Forces at five times the national average and have served with distinction in every major conflict for over 200 years,” (National Indian Council on Aging).
Generally, pow wow participants are eager to share their culture with others. I’m looking forward to attending an educational pow wow to learn more about this history. Pow wows came from the Northern and Southern Plains Tribes, and have evolved over time. Now they are pan-American Indian events. The Durango Herald and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival have good articles on the history of pow wows.
The history and current circumstances of American Indians is quite complex. I worked with Tribes for five years (2007-2012). That experience was incredibly eye-opening for me. I could fill many blog posts about the painful history and the current inequalities, but also about the inspiring and innovative work that is happening throughout Indian Country to strengthen tribal governments, build businesses and community service organizations, protect natural resources, build intergenerational bonds, protect native languages, and support cultural activities. Despite all I learned, I know I’ve only understood the tip of the iceberg: Each Tribe has a unique language, history, food, and culture. A pow wow can be a starting point for learning more.
Outside of the pow wow dance arena, are vendors of all sorts. I’ve purchased many Christmas and birthday gifts from pow wow vendors. The craftsmanship is extraordinary. I especially like the beadwork, leather goods, and silver jewelry. One year, I bought a sculpted eagle for a Christmas present and it certainly outshined all other presents that year!
And I always look forward to delicious food, including fry bread. The great thing about fry bread is it can be savory (Indian taco) or sweet (with honey). No matter your tastes, I recommend the fry bread!
Resources:
Pow wows can be very large, like the annual Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, which had over 3,000 participants in 2019. During these COVID-19 days of restrictions, you cannot visit a live pow wow. But, you can go online and view some past pow wows, including activities from last year’s Gathering of Nations.
Powwows.com is a fantastic site for information not just on pow wows, but on many topics that can help you learn more about Native Americans. I follow it on FaceBook because they post interesting articles and videos, including live streaming of dance competitions. Recently, they posted a list of top movies about Native American life. Some pow wow-specific pages are: an intro to pow wows, a calendar of pow wows, and a description of pow wow dance styles.
Indian Country Today, which I also recommend, is a digital daily news platform. It covers a wide range of news topics, and has some interesting information relative to pow wows, including:
- Fancy Shawl dance origins
- Jingle Dress dance origins
- Duck and Dive (commonly rendered for Northern Traditional dancers and that originates from the Nez Perce and their history at the Battle of the Big Hole
- Changes in pow wow regalia
- Honoring mind and body in dancing
- Changes in pow wows from over time
Other good sites for information are: Drumhop.com, Pow wow Power, and the Smithsonian page on pow wows.
Thanks for your passion for America’s cultures, Kathy! I’m learning so much and you make me want to learn and experience more.