Monday, September 16, 2024
By Gracelyn Giese
Contributing Writer
ONEIDA NATION – From Friday, June 28, to Sunday, June 30, celebrants dressed in their best regalia filled the Oneida Tribe Norbert Hill Center to mark the Oneida Nation’s 50th Annual Pow Wow.
The tradition goes back more than 100 years and served as a way for Native American tribes to celebrate peace and host ceremonies.
Today, the Oneida Nation has been hosting Pow Wows for many years as a way for friends and family to bond and share traditional music and dance.
“Pow Wows can be entirely social and traditional or they may be a competitive event where dancers and drummers compete for prize money in various categories” added Oneida Nation Public Relations Director Bobbi Webster.
This year, dancers and drummers competed for over $108,000 in prize money.
Categories were divided by age and gender, with dance categories including smoke dance or traditional, jingle, grass, fancy feather and shawl.
In addition to the competition, attendees visited food and craft vendors and held an Ojibwe-style traditional lacrosse game.
These events surrounded a daily Grand Entrance, which was led by veterans, head dancers, tribal royalty and groups of dancers.
While the first day of the Pow Wow had to be moved indoors due to inclement weather, the sun shined on the following days of activities.
Webster shared that Pow Wows are a “great time to visit an Indigenous community in an atmosphere of good minds and good hearts as people are generally focused on having an enjoyable time.”
Anyone who wishes to attend a Pow Wow can attend upcoming events hosted by the Oneida Nation.
Visit https://oneida-nsn.gov to learn more about the Oneida nation and upcoming events.
