Local American Indians to celebrate culture in upcoming powwow

SALT LAKE CITY — A cultural celebration will unite the local American Indian community this weekend at the 43rd annual Sustaining Our Culture Powwow.

Comprised of traditional singing, dancing and performances, the powwow draws American Indians across the state of Utah in addition to Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming, according to Anthony Shirley, interim academic adviser at the University of Utah American Indian Resource Center.

“It’s for any spectator to learn just a little bit more about American Indian culture and dance, song, and just to watch the American Indian community come together as a whole to celebrate,” Shirley said. “It’s really a celebration of the students who attend the U. as well as just to showcase and highlight the students that are here and invite family in from various parts of the state.”

The powwow is organized and run by students involved with the Inter-Tribal Student Association, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and the newly formed Powwow Committee, Shirley said.

Nathan Begaye, student chairman for the Inter-Tribal Student Association who is part of the Diné tribe, said the government used to outlaw American Indians from practicing any culture or religion when they were trying to assimilate them, so events like these were times the Native Americans could openly practice their culture and tradition.

“It’s seen as an event where American Indian people come together to not only practice but also pass down knowledge, traditions, culture to song and dance and to also educate non-native people about certain Native American cultures,” Begaye said.

Many people enjoy attending the Grand Entry, which will occur Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Shirley said.

Led by tribal elders and spiritual individuals, the Grand Entry takes place in part to bless the dancing grounds. It also acts as an “entry of display,” allowing spectators to see those competing in dancing and performing in the powwow in addition to the tribal attire worn by participants, Shirley said.

A northern and a southern “host drum” is invited to attend the event each year as part of a cultural practice that ensures the tribes to the north and the tribes to the south are included in the powwow, Shirley said.

This year, the North Bear, from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, and Grayhawk, from southern Utah, will drum as participants enter the dance circle during the Grand Entry, Shirley said.

For some tribes, the Grand Entry is a spiritual event, Shirley said.

Throughout the event, dancers will compete against each other in age and gender categories. There is even a "tiny tots" category for little kids, Shirley said.

In between the performances, everyone is invited to participate in inter-tribal dances, Shirley said.

In addition to watching performances, event attendees can purchase Navajo tacos and American Indian artwork and jewelry among other things from vendors coming from around Utah and some from Arizona, Shirley said.

In the last couple of years, American Indian student enrollment numbers have dropped drastically, Shirley said.

This may be due in part to the fact that the university hasn’t hosted the Native American High School Conference for a few years, Shirley said.

Thursday, the Inter-Tribal Student Association hosted the conference after it invited all American Indian high school students in the state to come to the University of Utah to listen to speakers and become educated about the University of Utah for recruitment purposes, Shirley said.

The conference was “somewhat coordinated” to occur the same week as the powwow, Shirley said.

Also this week was the annual American Indian Scholar Competition, where Taylor Russell was appointed the 2015-16 American Indian Scholar. Russell will be introduced Friday at the powwow, Shirley said.

Shirley said the American Indian students at the University of Utah have noticed the drastic decrease in American Indian enrollment and are faced with barriers.

Begaye said it has been hard to see a smaller representation of American Indian students on campus.

“Not only is it nice to see American Indian students on campus, but it’s also very empowering to see American Indian faculty and staff,” Begaye said. “When the departments in the university don’t take that in consideration, it’s hard for the university at large to retain in keeping those students when they are constantly seeing native professors leave the institution.”

The Sustaining our Culture Powwow will take place Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Union Ballroom at the University of Utah. The event is free and open to the public. For more information about registration and events, click here.

Each tribe in Utah will be represented as well as some tribes coming from other states, Shirley said.

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