Gathering of Nations PowWow

The walk from parking to "The Pit" at the University of New Mexico was long; the ticket line was two blocks long as well. But everyone was patient and we eventually made it to the front of the line. We got the two-day admission bracelets for the Gathering of Nations PowWow, so tomorrow we won't have to stand in line! This is one of the West's largest Native American gatherings, with more than 3000 singers and dancers.

The Pit is where UNM plays basketball -- it's a long way down to the arena floor from where we found seats to the dancing. I wasn't sure whether they would allow pictures, so I didn't take my camera. These pictures were all taken with my iPhone. There were lots of cameras, so I'll be sure to take mine -- with my telephoto lens -- tomorrow! These are some of the Grass Dancers --

The dancers got into -- and out of -- their regalia right in front of us in the stands --

This is the back of a Fancy Dancer who was sitting with his family in the rows right in front of us. The streamers form a bustle that is one of two in his regalia --

These are Fancy Dancer finalists. The young man in front of us came in third! You could see close-ups of the dancers on the big screen on the far wall.

We left the dancing at the end of the afternoon's contests as we had an invitation to dinner at our RVing friends, Tom and Juni. They have a lovely house in Albuquerque (we spent Christmas there with them in 2009). What a feast we had. Shrimp, barbecued steak, spinach salad with strawberries and pecans, baked potatoes and corn on the cob!