Saturday 24 January 2009

Pow Wows of America

By Eagle Vale

Pow Wows are traditionally a way for members of native tribes to meet each other. The Pow Wow begins with what is called the Grand Entry.

Pow wows offer common ground for Native American people of North America to meet and interact with each other. Native Pow wows are an important cultural expression of Native American heritage. Pow wows are big social events where people from all over North America are invited to attend.

Pow wows are famous for their pagentry of colors and dance which have been adapted and changed since their beginnings into a bright, fast, and exciting event geared towards Native Americans and visitors alike. Pow Wows are organized by committees that work for weeks before the event. These ceremonies, commonly known as pow wows, have evolved from a formal ceremony of the past into a modern blend of dance, family reunion, and festival.



In the 1920's, some pow wows became "inter-tribal," meaning that they were open for all tribes to attend, and the practice of "contesting" began. Today pow wows are held all across the North American continent, from small towns such as White Eagle, Oklahoma, to some of the largest, such as Los Angeles, California. For this reason, pow wows spread across the plains quickly and today serve as one of the main cultural activities of Native Americans.

World War II brought a revival to the pow wow world. Ever since pow wows have been growing, constantly changing and adapting to modern ways, while retaining their cultural roots. The Traditional Dance is one of the most common styles seen at pow wows and is considered the warrior's dance style.

Native newsgroups are good sources of information about Pow Wows. If you don't see any Pow Wows near you, post the question. It is also getting more and more popular to have Pow Wows on churchgrounds, at college campuses, and various other locations in cities that can turn out to be can be excellent events.

Some large Pow Wows require that you register your camera, and will put a number on it. Most Pow Wows are held in the country away from the conveniences we all take for granted. Some Pow Wows have camp grounds, space for RV and trailer hook-ups,and cooking pits.

"Pow Wows are the Native American people's way of meeting. Most dancers seen at Pow Wows today perform social dances which might have had different meanings in earlier days. Many pow wows are large annual events and others are organized on short notice.

Pow Wows can be found in almost every state in this country. Pow Wows are all about drums, songs and dance. Pow Wows commenced after the Native American Wars resulting in secluding the many tribal entities on reservation lands.

A pow wow is a Native American festival featuring traditional dancing, drumming and singing and traditional foods and arts and crafts. The pow wow is a spiritual celebration to join together in dancing, singing, visiting old friends, and making new friends. Many pow wows are large annual events and others are organized on short notice.

The pow wow is the Native American's way of expressing their cultural heritage. These Pow Wows are full of Native American dancing, singing, educational displays, and authentic food. Most dancers seen at Pow Wows today perform social dances which might have had different meanings in earlier days.

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