Celebrating Tradition: USU’s 48th annual pow wow brings community together
Drums, dancing and tradition filled the George Nelson Fieldhouse at Utah State University on March 28 as the 48th annual Echoing Traditional Ways Pow Wow returned, continuing a decades-long tradition celebrating Indigenous American culture, community and heritage.
“This is the 48th annual pow wow,” said Faustine Saganey, the program coordinator for the USU Center for Community, which organized the event. “It started with a Native student group who wanted to bring a pow wow to campus, and it’s been held here ever since.”
Elise Gottling Children dancers gather during the grand entrance at the Utah State University Echoing Traditional Ways Pow Wow at the Fieldhouse on March 28.
After years of cancellations, including during the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said the event continues to hold special significance.
“We really want to emphasize that this pow wow is the community because we’re nothing without our community,” Saganey said.
The pow wow brings together students, staff and local participants to celebrate Indigenous American culture. Shelly Ortiz, the executive director of the Center for Community, highlighted the event’s broader purpose.
“We’re creating shared celebrations of heritage and experiences, opening up opportunities for all students to engage,” Ortiz said.
This year, more than 150 people helped bring the event together, including volunteers and cultural leaders known as head staff. The head man, head woman, drum groups and master of ceremonies guided the cultural elements, from dances and songs to ceremonial rituals.
One of the most significant moments, according to Saganey, was the grand entry, marking the official start of the pow wow.
“Grand entry is when we’re calling on our ancestors, asking for blessings for the people, the dancers and the space,” Saganey said.
Attendees experienced a full day of traditional and community-centered activities, including dance competitions, cultural performances and interactive events such as the potato dance and two-step. Vendors were also present offering Native-made goods and traditional foods, including Navajo tacos and roast mutton.
Elise Gottling Jewelry is displayed at the Utah State University Echoing Traditional Ways Pow Wow at the Fieldhouse on March 28.
“We want students to leave feeling like they learned something and like they have a community they can come back to,” Saganey said. “It’s about sharing culture but also making it accessible, fun and engaging for everyone.”
The event also highlighted student leadership through the role of Miss Native American USU, who served as the head woman and represented the values and focus of the pow wow.
“Our Miss Native serves as head woman. The head woman and the head man are the two people who represent the pow wow itself, and they are the people who will kind of show what the event will be centered around,” Saganey said.
For Saganey, the pow wow represents more than a single day; it is about building connections that last beyond the event.
“There’s a lot of thought and a lot of love put into this,” Saganey said.
Saganey described the planning process as collaborative, noting that students, staff and community members all contribute to making the pow wow possible.
“We’ve made it so that there’s no entrance fee. Other events, we try to make highly accessible so students can actually engage,” Ortiz said.
The pow wow at USU continues to honor decades of Indigenous traditions while engaging the campus and local community. Both Saganey and Ortiz hope attendees left with a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture and a sense of connection to the community.
“This is really centered around the community,” Saganey said. “It’s created this space that’s way more than what we imagined.”
Elise Gottling A USU logo and decorations are shown on the stage at the Utah State University Echoing Traditional Ways Pow Wow at the Fieldhouse on March 28.