Hey! Are you trying to attend a cultural event but don’t know how to express yourself respectfully? well look no further, Powwowtimes has produce this analytical blog just for you and it will help you to a step to step run down for attending an indigenous even such as a powwow. However, let’s start with what is actually powwow?
Powwow is a large indigenous event usually held in the summer months where different indigenous communities in North America gather and celebrate with the art of dance. Everyone is welcome to spectate and enjoy the arts that we express and the food that we make, here you can see many indigenous artists and entrepreneurs and how they make a business for themselves. You can also see many of the dance categories dancing in the arbour and the beautiful regalia that they wear during this ceremony.
If you want more information about powwow and is wanting to learn a little bit more of stories behind every category you can click here! Now that you know a little bit of powwow, let get into how to actually attend a powwow event without worrying about being disrespectful or anything that you may feel uncomfortable.
Contents
The Simple Question
Attending a powwow is a much more simple process than people think. The most common question that people ask themselves is “how I can attend a powwow and enjoy with it if I’m not of indigenous background?” Which is a solid question but what I want you think about it like it’s like any other event.
For example, Rodeos and any sport affiliated events work quite similar to how powwow would work. Such as these examples, powwow is a large event that is organized and works much like how a hockey game would work out. But what makes powwow completely unique is that 90% of the time the event is completely free to attend! Another thing to consider is that the powwow and the whole indigenous community are welcoming to non-indigenous communities to come and learn and explore a little bit of our culture as well.
So, the very first step is actually getting to the powwow itself. In this era, it becomes a lot more easier to find things with the joy of technology. Finding a powwow is an easy thing to do and one of the most amazing resources to finding powwows near you with all the information is both Powwows.com and https://powwowtimes.ca. These two websites are great resources to use when searching for a powwow to attend and also looking for one that is near you! They’ll explain specific dates and locations which makes the whole finding process really helpful.
Finding a powwow shouldn’t be hard and these two websites do it well, they also have other great educational content that you utilize to learn a lot more to indigenous culture. I recommend that you check it out too because powwows is the only the surface of our indigenous communities and there always a lot more to learn!
It’s Okay!
Attending for the first time can be shocking, especially when you never had any indigenous influence or contact in your life. Powwow is by far one of the most bizarre and biggest events that indigenous communities have, however, that’s what makes your experience really fun.
It’s okay to feel different and express yourself at your pace. Big feelings are very normal to experience and you are in full control on how you want to feel about it. However, its also important to analyze your surrounds when you’re feeling these things, you’ll come to realize that there is a lot of joy and fun that you can explore around you.
Exploring Your Surroundings
when your attending a powwow its important that you explore what is beyond the arbour as well. Aside from the beautiful dance part of the ceremony, there is also a lot of food vendors much like you would find at fairs or rodeos. There are also many other stands that sell art, clothing and jewelry throughout the entire powwow.
here you can find many indigenous entrepreneurs who sell there products to others and make a nice brand to themselves and yes it is okay to buy and wear indigenously made products. You can also experience a lot of indigenous foods sold by vendors around the arbour! You can try many of delights and taste a very popular indigenous staple called bannock which is a type of fry bread that is added into food combinations like burgers and hotdogs.
When it comes to explore your surroundings it’s important to absorb everything that you’re seeing. Take your time on what your seeing and soon enough you can feel yourself enjoying a powwow just like your attending any large event like a hockey game or rodeo.
Have Fun
It may sound cliche but it’s important to have fun. You can’t really enjoy something if you don’t try to have fun with it. I encourage to explore and learn from this experience, indigenous culture has so much to learn from and you can gain some insight on how deep our culture actually is.
Enjoy your experience as much as you can and eventually you learn to appreciate what indigenous culture means to you. It may be for you and may not, it all depends how much it affects you. There is an endless amount of knowledge you can take from indigenous culture and quite possibly take some teaching of your own in to your life.
To conclude
Attending a powwow is not only acceptable but can be a rich and enlightening experience for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These gatherings serve as celebrations of indigenous culture, fostering understanding, respect, and appreciation for the traditions, dances, music, and art that are integral to Indigenous communities.
By participating in a powwow, one has the opportunity to break down cultural barriers, promote cross-cultural dialogue, and build connections that transcend differences. Embracing the invitation to attend a powwow contributes to the broader tapestry of cultural exchange, fostering a spirit of unity and mutual respect. Ultimately, it is through such shared experiences that we can promote cultural diversity, celebrate heritage, and move towards a more inclusive and harmonious world.
