For 12 years, the Native American Student Center has sponsored the annual Tutxinmepu Pow Wow.
“The pow wow doesn’t completely describe our diversity amongst our tribal peoples,” said Steve Martin, director of NASC. “But it does allow an opportunity for non-natives to get somewhat of an awareness of who we are.”
Traditional protocols of respect, seriousness and cooperation ring through the celebration, Martin said.
The pow wow aims to develop cultural understanding. Non-natives and first-time attendes will leave with something that is probably new to them, Martin said.
The event serves as a social celebration that allows Native people to come together to develop new friendships and get reacquainted with old friends. The powwow is also an opportunity to express Native identity through song and dance.
“Within the pow wow you’re going to see many different tribes participating so you’re going to get different perspectives, different views, different ways we do things too,” Martin said. “A lot of the dances and songs in the pow wow are very, very old.”
Style of dance and colorful regalia celebrate and express Native and personal identity, Martin said.
All guests will have the opportunity to participate during intertribal dances when the MC will invite people to come participate.
The pow wow is also a contest in which competing dancers can win money. There are dance divisions between adults, teens and juniors in the contest.
Judges focus on whether the dancers are staying on beat with the drum, their foot and shoulder work, and their rhythm. Part of judging is also the outfit, Martin said.
“When I have judged before, if it is hard for me to judge a dancer based on his or her performance, I do look at their outfits and how neatly it is put together — how it blends and how the colors compliment, you know?” he said.
First, Martin said he tries to focus on what each dancer brings to the performance.
Martin said the powwow is open to everybody, but people tend to think it’s restricted to Native people.
“This is something they’ve never seen, it’s full of colors,” Martin said. “You walk away feeling good from it, I always do. I’m tired leading up to it, I’m tired afterwards but when it’s going on it’s really worth it.”
The Tutxinmepu Powwow will be held Saturday and Sunday in The Bear Den at Moscow Junior High. Arts and crafts booths will be set up during the powwow. Grand entries will be at 12 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m. Sunday.
Molly Spencer can be reached at [email protected]