Native Week to celebrate culture
Traditional Native American dances, fry bread and a pageant will all be available to students and the public this week as part of Native Week, said Mario Pereyra, program coordinator for the Native American student council.
One of the biggest events of the week, Pereyra said, is the Echoing Traditions 39th Annual Powwow, held in the Nelson Fieldhouse Friday from 7-11 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., beginning again at 6 p.m. after a dinner break. The powwow will feature drummers and dancers.
“Powwow is a lot of competition dancing, so there are lots of different categories,” Pereyra said.
Some of those categories include traditional dance, grass dance, fancy dance and jingle, he said. Seniors, children and teens will all participate in the event, which is a contest as well as a cultural experience for those who attend, he said.
Sandra McCabe, powwow coordinator, said planning for the event began at the beginning of fall semester and a lot of hard work has gone into giving attendees a great experience. The event is heavily based in tradition, she said, and every dance has a different meaning.
Student admission is $3 and general public admission is $4, which McCabe said is quite minimal.
Another tradition is giving gift baskets, she said.
“As part of the culture, we give gift baskets to all the elderly who attend, whether they’re Native American or not, and that’s just to give our appreciation to them,” McCabe said.
Gabrielle George, president of the Native American student council, said the event attracts dancers and drummers from all over the country, and if the powwow gets more attention, world champion dancers may attend. One world champion has been invited to this year’s event, she said.
George said vendors will also be there to sell concessions, such as fry bread and Navajo tacos, and other wares.
“Some of the vendors at our powwow sell jewelry, pottery, clothes and just a bunch of Native American stuff,” she said. “(Students) can also bring something home with them if they’d like. They’d also be supporting Native Americans by buying their artwork.”
Monday at 6 p.m., Native Week begins with the Miss American Indian USU Pageant, a free event held in the TSC Ballroom.
McCabe said three women will compete in this year’s pageant. The contestants will be judged on a written essay, a contemporary talent, a cultural talent and their impromptu answers to questions.
Pereyra said the pageant is a way for the contestants to share their cultural heritage.
“They talk a little bit about their heritage, their history — what it means to them,” Pereyra said. “They start sharing that culture and what it can mean to us as well.”
McCabe said one of the biggest incentives for students to attend the pageant is the door-prize giveaway. More than 30 door prizes provided by sponsors will be given away throughout the evening, she said.
“They’re not just tiny prizes,” she said. “They’re pretty decent prizes. Some of them are close to $100 in value.”
Students can buy Navajo fry bread and tacos on the TSC Patio from noon to 2 p.m on Tuesday, George said.
During the halftime show at the women’s basketball game Thursday, attendees can see a preview of the powwow, she said.
McCabe said the week’s events rely heavily on volunteer work and the help of students, and organizers expect the week to be a success because of those efforts.
“A lot of people don’t get that opportunity to come see what Native Americans do or how we live our culture,” George said. “And so I feel if more people get more involved, that they’ll be able to see a different society than just what they know.”
“We’re really nice people,” she said. “It’s not like we’re ancient natives that don’t know anything modern. We’re all pretty fun. We’re around here to have a good time.”
Pereyra said he encourages all students to get a taste of another culture, and Native Week will provide that opportunity.
“When you go to cultural events, it makes you reflect on your own culture — whatever it may be — because everybody here has a culture, everybody,” he said.
Pereyra said those who have never attended before will have a great experience.
“I know sometimes it can be a little scary and a little daunting in being like ‘Well, I don’t really know that many Natives, and I don’t know how to act, or I don’t really know about this stuff,’ he said. “Sometimes they might just be a little bit reserved and decide not to go. But it’s better to just come out, get out of your comfort zone, learn more about it, and that way you feel more comfortable about it next time it comes around.”
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