Is a powwow...... ?

[WhoMe]

..... a show or performance?

..... a sacred ceremony?

..... a traditional Indian or tribal gathering?

..... a modern Native American cultural event?

..... a Native American festival?

..... a money making venture run by a bunch of crooks? *L


Hmmmm? I have heard powwows described as all of these - by Native people!


What does POWWOW mean to you?

[lbgood]

I heard all the same decriptions too lol

..... a show or performance?
I think powwows are neither, but some people will put on shows /performances which mimick a mini-powwow to share a certain part of native culture - but powwows themselves are not shows or performances

..... a sacred ceremony?
Powwows are not ceremonies, however alot of tribes have lost alot of their ceremonies and as a result use the powwow as a forum to conduct certain ceremonies - such as naming ceremonies - but powwows are not sacred ceremonies

..... a traditional Indian or tribal gathering?
Absolutely, powwows are a tribal gathering more specifically an inter-tribal social gathering nowadayz with non-indianz inlcuded lol

..... a modern Native American cultural event?
Yes, I would consider it a cultural event, but it can be tricky too...... becuz powwows are being sponsored by / and dancers all being non-Indian such as the Boyscouts of America Would one consider that a powwow or a cultural event LOL Thats probably why people diferential between powwow and a hobbyist powwow

..... a Native American festival?
I wouldn't consider powwows as a festival, however I do think that festivals can incorporate a powwow component. Many festivals/celebrations have rodeos, carnivals, powwows etc..... which one could consider the event in its totality as a festival perhaps. But a powwow is not a festival in and of itself.

..... a money making venture run by a bunch of crooks? *L
Can I say Mesquite powwow - specifically the promoter lol

Just my two cents

[anishtradish]

All that and a bag of chips......


I guess a powwow is whatever you want it to be. Whatever it means to yourself. Some people go to put on a show and exhibition, some because it is some sort of spiritual venture for them, some people go to make money, some to spend money lol, then a lot go to visit friends and family and socialize.

[hobbs49]

I thought it was a place to buy frybread?!?



I think as lbg and anish have already stated it depends. I think it depends mostly on the host organization and what they want it to be. Participants may have their own perceptions on what a powwow is to them as well. When the participant perceptions and host direction align, then it becomes a "good powwow." However, when they don't align, it's always a bunch of "hobbs," "kooks" and "new agers" (that perception may be held by the host or the participant).

[n8v_singer 4_life]

Not a whole lot of feedback here..so thought I'd chime in.

I have to agree that a pow-wow is what you make it these days. This can also depend on the "type" of pow-wow.

To me a Contest Pow-wow = Competition, Athleticism, and the chance to hopefully make it in the singing or dance contest to defray some of your costs.

A Tradishional Pow-wow = Visiting/meeting family & freinds and enjoying what pow-wows were really intended for. A time for singing/sharing songs, freindly competition, and maybe some honorings.

I don't feel that it is a ceremony at all, but this can depend on where you are pow-wowing and who gets ahold of the MC's mic!

I do feel that they can be a performance, cultural event, a gathering, and a competition.

Just what I think.....

n8v_singer 4_life

[chet69]

..... a show or performance?

..... a sacred ceremony?

..... a traditional Indian or tribal gathering?

..... a modern Native American cultural event?

..... a Native American festival?

..... a money making venture run by a bunch of crooks? *L


Hmmmm? I have heard powwows described as all of these - by Native people!


What does POWWOW mean to you?

They could be any one or a combination of those things.

I went to the Macy Pow Wow run by the Omaha Tribe in August of this year. For me it was a traditional "Indian"/Tribal gathering. Not many non-"indians" there.


If you were there it was mainly to see the dancing and to see relatives. It was the first one I've been able to see in 18 years cause I live and work in New Jersey. I came back for it a few years ago and they changed the date on me. lol

Most stands sold food and refreshments- I like the "Indian" Tacos and fry bread. A couple of stands sold t-shirts and Native American related items.

[WhoMe]

I don't feel that it is a ceremony at all, but this can depend on where you are pow-wowing and who gets ahold of the MC's mic!

Thank you for your feedback lb, anish, hobbs and chet.



n8v,

I totally agree with you on your quote. In my opinion there aren't too many ceremonial things that transcend from actual ceremony to the public powwow arena.

Like yourself, I also see people get on the microphone and "grandstand" with their views of how powwow is supposed to be. I look at the audience and I can see other people at the powwow rolling their eyes, whispering and staring with puzzled looks.

[chet69]

The Macy Pow Wow is held outside on grounds that have probably been used for over 100 years.

In some ways I kind of wish they would have it in a modern arena with plumbing and cleaner facilities like I see in most of the photos on this website. I guess it wouldn't be the Macy Pow Wow if they tried to do that though.

These days with gas and motel prices as high as they are it is the only one I'm able to afford to go to.

[yaahl]

Where I come from we don't have pow wows so as a kid, I never really got much of a chance to got to many pow wows. With my parents doing a lot of travelling with their jobs, we did on occasion get to attend a few pow wows in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. I mostly watched the dancers as again where I come from the dances are all different - I was so thrilled to be able to see and meet other FN folks.

Pow wows to me as a kid, were very similar to the Scottish Highland Games we would also go to throughout the summer months. My dear Scottish Granpa wanted to have a little of his culture within the family and as I was the only female grandkid, he encouraged me to learn to Highland dance (he taught me as he had been a dancer in his regiment during the second world war). Highland games are all about the dancing and music, sporting events and food and regalia - sound familiar? Regardless of which event I went to as a kid, I felt at home in both environments - one had FN folks, and the other had folks that made my granpa happy to be around and they were always very kind to me as well... they would speak of their clans, their family tartans, their battle honours and how the English pursued them to death and cleared their beloved highlands from all forms of their culture... gotta love those English eh?

To me, a pow wow is an event that brings people of all nations together to show each other that we are still very much around and our cultures are still very much alive.. just as the Scots do in the games. I think it's not so much a show and performance but a visual statement that no matter how many agents came for our kids, or the teachers that tried to break us or the governments that wanted us assimilated that try as they may, we're still here and we're still dancing and singing. I see a pow wow as a validation that our cultures are not stuck frozen somewhere but living, dynamic and ever adapting to moving forward.

I'm not so sure that some ceremonies don't take place... the jingle dancers dancing to heal a sick person or the blanket dances or the thank you dances, or the blessing of a new regalia... drop an eagle feather and see what happens.. blow an eagle whistle and see and hear what happens...look up and watch the raptors circling and feel your dancing getting stronger.

I've been to pow wows where the organizers are looking at the final dollar amounts...been to some where the dancers and singers got ripped off when the dinner monies or giveaway got cancelled. But I've been to pow wows like the one I went to in Hobbema this summer and were very much treated kindly by the folks there. I was very glad that the Hobbema folks were helping me dance to say goodbye to my relatives.

Anyway.. my two elk teeth

[AmigoKumeyaay]

.....bringing this thread back up.