A Peek Inside a Powwow

I go to college, at least four hours away from my weekend's destination, Ithaca. Instead of spending my Friday night partying or 'chilling' and watching movies, I headed an hour away from college to home, and an hour closer to Ithaca. The next morning, rising at eight o'clock, I woke up, and was on my way, with a friend, to our first ever powwow.

The drive was supposed to be two and a half hours. Fitting for the type of event we were heading to, ironically, we got lost on the way there(we took the very scenic route), and we didn't arrive until four hours later. Nevertheless, although we missed Grand Entry, the opening of the powwow, we were still able to partake in the festivities.

This particular powwow was held in a sports complex on the campus of Cornell. Towards the back was the dance ring, and then scattered throughout were vendors selling Native American products and food. All around us were the musings of a culture which, up until that point, we had never even thought existed. Powwows, Indians, headdresses...the only place they seemed to exist, at least in our minds, was in our history textbooks.

Sitting in the bleachers, my friend and I watched from above as the competitive dance competitions were progressing. We were lucky enough to get there in time enough to watch the little boys and girls do their dances, and next, the teenagers, and later on, the adults. The dance was not uniform among the dancers, which is what made the experience so fulfilling: the dancers learn the moves, and then perform them as they see fit. As they feel the song, they dance to it.

The drummer/singer for the dances I watched, known to the crowd as Mr. Spruce, was an amazing drummer, and even better singer. Although the songs were unfamiliar to me, I could tell that each and every song meant something to him: it was reflected in his voice.

This is not to say that the dancing and singing were the only parts of the day. The competition was only one part of the powwow, and indeed, we spent a lot of time examining the beautifully handmade boxes, necklaces, and other jewelry and art being sold by the vendors. In addition to these crafts, there were also books, videos, DVDs, and CDs available for sale. T-Shirts, moccasins, and basically everything you could think of. With the crowd bustling around and watching, it was to me, just like one of my local community festivals held each summer.

Being of Welsh, Irish and German heritage, I have to admit, that at first, I felt very, very white. But, if there is one thing to say of Native Americans, it is this: they look beyond your skin color, and respect you for respecting them. The people that I interacted with throughout my experience were exceedingly friendly and helpful.

When I came back to my college, and had a chance to talk to my teacher, I told him that the day that I had had was, quite simply, one of the best days of my life. Great people, a great event, great performances, and an excellent mini road trip made my experience breathtaking. I would recommend the experience of a powwow to anyone and everyone who has access.

Think there aren't any around you? There are hundreds, if not thousands, of these type of open-to-the-public powwows over the summer. Kid and adult friendly, these are a great way to see some of the world, a subculture that is very, very important to those who take part. The dancing, the music, the food, and the products for sale are all worth a few hours of your life. It is an experience that will change your life.