As the sound of the drums beat on, reverberating from one wall of the Kibbie Dome to the next, Native Americans from all over the Northwest and Canada joined together in honor of their native culture and traditions.
The smell of fresh fry bread filled the air as the dancers swung their bodies in elegant circles to the beat of the drum. The dangling silver on their regalia jingled as dancers moved their feet.
With a variety of beaded regalia, artwork and dances, the 18th annual Tutxinmepu Powwow provided University of Idaho students and Moscow community the opportunity to immerse themselves in Native American practices.
Attracting Native American singers and drummers from tribes all across the country, the powwow allowed families and friends to come together and celebrate in the form of music and dance as audience members observed from the stands.
Dancing is an essential part of the powwow, dancer Hokian Win McCloud said.
Tribe members of all ages dance during the grand entry at the Tutxinmepu Powwow Saturday night in the Kibbie Dome.
McCloud, who comes from the Fort Peck Dakota Sioux tribe and is an enrolled member of the Puyallup tribe, danced at the powwow in the Jingle Dress category.
McCloud said dancing has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.
“You start dancing once you can walk,” McCloud said. “Even before we could walk our parents put outfits on us, and my parents decided to put a jingle dress on me.”
McCloud said she has danced in other categories of dance beyond Jingle Dress, such as Fancy Shawl and Women’s Traditional. However, she said she has found her passion through dancing Jingle Dress.
McCloud said she travels all over the country to attend different powwows so she is able to dance, meet new people and connect with family and friends.
“I love powwows,” McCloud said. “I love going and meeting new people and it makes me feel good when other people tell me that they feel good from my dancing and they like watching me, and it’s a really good feeling.”
McCloud said powwows help her to find herself and become more stress free, which is why she attends a different powwow each weekend.
“I go to powwows everywhere,” McCloud said. “I travel all over the United States and Canada.”
Powwows have been a part of native culture for many years and bring significance to Native American tradition. McCloud said powwows were first made in hopes to bring together different tribes.
“Every tribe has their own cultural values and their own languages and their own people, and their own ways of doing things, but powwows are a way of bringing that all together,” McCloud said.
At the powwow, different vendors sat on the Kibbie Dome turf and gave attendees a chance to purchase authentic Native American goods.
Velma Bahe, who participates in the Native American Women’s Traditional dance, travels across the nation throughout the year to travel and dance at various powwows.
“We normally go to about 40 throughout the year,” Bahe said.
Making her way from powwow to powwow, Bahe dances and sells a variety of goods including hand-made blankets, jackets, chairs and more.
Many UI students came together to participate in the powwow as well.
Junior Scott Jones said this year’s powwow is the third he’s attended since he enrolled at UI.
“They’re super fun and enjoyable,” Jones said. “I just love being in this culture, it’s a really fun atmosphere to be a part of.”
The powwow also offered authentic Indian Tacos and fry bread for people to eat as they watched the dancers and browsed the booths.
“The food is awesome hands down,” Jones said.
Savannah Cardon can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @savannahlcardon