What Is A Pow Wow ?
A pow-wow (also powwow or pow wow or pau wau) is a gathering of North America’s Indigenous People.
The word derives from the Narragansett language.
A modern pow-wow is a specific type of event where both Native American and non-Native American people meet to dance, sing, socialize, and honor American Indian culture. Pow-wows vary in length from one day session of 5 to 6 hours to three days. Major pow-wows or pow-wows called for a special occasion can be up to one week long.
Pow Wow varies from place to place and from Nation to Nation. You can expect to see many different kinds of demonstrations on crafts, culture and information. Dances of many different kinds.
Originally the Grand Entry started with a parade from the town where the Pow Wow was being held and went to the Pow Wow Grounds.
Today some Pow Wows still have parades but they are becoming fewer and fewer.
Pow W0w is a way to share our culture with visiting non Native people. In this way other learn to understanad our culture more and more.
