Pow Wow!

After going to bed to the sound of the drums the last two nights, we finally made it over to the Fort McDowell Casino today for the last day of the 30th Annual PowWow. We have always enjoyed PowWows and have attended them in Washington, Idaho, New Mexico and now in Arizona. I worked with the Plateau Tribes as part of my work with the Area Health Education Center at WSU Spokane.

The set-up for this PowWow was the nicest we've been at. Shade Pavilions were set up all around the dance arena. They cut branches and draped them over the pavilions to provide more shade and add to the atmosphere. There were lots and lots of chairs all the way around. There was a big crowd, so it was sometimes hard to get pictures, but I got some.

This is s shawl dancer from the northern plains --

While this one is a jingle dancer from the southern plains tradition (started in Oklahoma) --

One thing I noticed about the regalia today was the incredible amount of beadwork on much of it, like on the vest of this traditional dancer --

This one had almost more fringe than anything else --

This is the back of a headdress on an older dancer that was entirely made up of feathers --

The energy on a very hot afternoon was incredible --

I am not sure, but I think there were at least eight drum circles who took turns providing the drumbeat and songs --

These next two are Chicken Dancers, my favorite dancers. They mimic the behavior of the prairie chicken in their dance --

And of course, no PowWow would be complete without fry bread in an Indian Taco!

Good, but not as good as what my friend Tina makes!