A lot of people have misconceptions about the Pow Wow dances. I recently went to the 1st annual Sunrise Pow wow and was mesmerized by the hundreds and hundred of people gathered around the huge circle in the middle. First, let’s learn what a Pow wow is! First, the word Pow wow derived from the Narragansett word Powwaw meaning “Spiritual leader”. It is a Northern American Indian ceremony involving feasting, singing, dancing and drumming. The one I went to was a competition in Dancing. Even though it was about to rain, the show must go on! And it was awesome!
When I ate my Indian fry bread under the large tent, I could feel the high energy of competitiveness all around.
Pow wows began mainly as religious ceremonies to gain wisdom from and give thanks to Wakan Takan, or creator.they vary in length from a day session of five to six hours, to three days.They bring communal bonds while welcoming general members of the Native American community. Some give credit to the Poncas with holding the first inner-tribal Pow wow in the 1800’s, while others claim that the northern plains First Nations created the dances during the 1900’s.
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