Monthly Archives: May 2016

2016 NCIPA Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association

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2016 NCIPA Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow

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On April 16th and 17th this year the 24th annual Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow was held in Ft. Collins, Colorado. The weather was cold and rainy but inside the Northside Aztlan Community Center it was as warm as the smiles of the various attendees. Participants from all over were here to dance, drum, sing and celebrate their culture.

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As always the color guard opened the ceremonies with all the flags displayed. It is an honor to be chosen to be a member of the color guard and the veterans who participate have all served their country in different branches of the armed services.

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There are dances by the men.

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Fancy dancers with their fantastic regalia perform in a hypnotizing swirl of color and motion.

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Women dancers have their own dances and their regalia and performance is spectacular.

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There is every type of regalia from the most highly decorated to very simple traditional and it is all on display.

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The powwow couldn’t be held without the drummers who play and sing the traditional songs for the different dances.

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Fancy dancers are show stoppers with their incredible regalia and whirling, leaping, contestants. .

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There are times when the members take a celebratory turn around the circle and everyone joins in.

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Always there is color. The various accessories combine colors in ways that are fascinating.

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And always there are gifts. Here apples have  been placed where the youngest of the participants can race out to gather them. Lots of fun for them and lots of fun for those who watch from the sidelines.

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The youngest are also watching. Much can be learned by simply observing. This is how knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. By seeing, hearing, participating, talking to their elders, listening to their stories and always with receiving much love and attention.

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There are also big observers. But they learn too.

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The bead and quill work on the various pieces is incredible. This is all hand done and the numbers of hours and effort that goes into them is beyond counting.

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Sharing the experience makes lasting memories for both young and old.

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Youngsters waiting for their time to dance. These are great kids and they truly seem to be enjoying their part in all the proceedings. There is a lot of pride here.

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More color and detail shows how some of the regalia is constructed.

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Many of the participants look as if they stepped out of an Edward Curtis photograph or perhaps a George Catlin painting.

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Styles of dress varied. There were as many different looks as there was participants.

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Dancing gives life to the clothing, the accessories carried, and to the participants themselves.

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The surroundings of the dance began to fade away as you listened to the drums and watched the dances performed. The fact that you were in a gymnasium was lost as you watched dances that could have been performed a hundred years ago.

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There was fun and excitement all around but underneath the activity it was always a serious spiritual event. This was not play, this was an expression of the participants culture and beliefs and was always a time of reflection.

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This young woman seemed to epitomize the effect these gatherings have on the people who attend them. Pride, attentiveness, beauty, strength of character, awareness of their culture, all folded into this gathering. Feeling the tradition that extends as far back into time as you can see, to right now in the chaos of the present, is reflected in her gaze.

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Nearly at the close of the event there was a couples dance. From the married couples down to the teenagers who have been flirting on the sidelines throughout the powwow, they parade around the ever-present circle that determines all they do in life. It shows how this is one large family. A family the reaffirms its bond to the tribe and their culture and to the world at large. That’s what a powwow is about.

In the future I will periodically post more images from this powwow so stay tuned for more. If you type, Crow, Blackfeet, Indian or the name of a gathering you will be able to visit pages from other powwows that have been posted here. There are literally hundreds of images from the many powwows, gatherings and Indian rodeos I have attended. Feel free to browse to your heart’s content. And if you feel so inclined forward this post to interested friends. Thanks

Powwows And The People Who Attend Them

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Tome Roubideaux Sioux 2016

The folks who attend powwows are a unique assortment of people. Not unique like the parking lot of a Wal-Mart but unique like a group of like-minded souls that are interested in the varied life around them in a way that many others aren’t.

On one hand you have the participants who attend these gatherings as a way to maintain the deepest contact with their culture and to celebrate their beliefs with others in a way that brings them closer together as a people. This grounds them and roots them in a connection to their culture that is difficult to get any other way. They are reaffirmed in their beliefs by the fellowship of those that have shared their life experiences, both good and bad, together. They are a family, a collective village, a group of people that can trace their beginnings back to the far distant past and celebrate them as if time didn’t matter.

Many of the participants, most in fact, who dance and take part in the various ceremonies dress in the regalia that represents their tribal affiliations and they are as distinctive and varied as the tribes and individuals within them. But for some a favorite blanket thrown across their shoulders, or a t-shirt with the faded logos of powwows of the past are enough, and they enter the circle and dance with the same fervor and beliefs as the most spectacularly dressed member there. The dress doesn’t matter, they are one.

Then there are the spectators, those who attend for many different reasons. Some are dedicated followers of the Powwow Trail and attend every one they can. They might be family members or close friends who come to support the dancers, singers and drummers. Or others who are trying to see and understand this wonderful culture in a way you can’t by reading about it. Some just come for the pageantry and to see something different. They enjoy the spectacle aspect of the gathering without delving too deeply into the culture, curious to see a lifestyle that is so different from their own, yet one that is embedded into the fabric and mainstream of our national culture. Once the powwow is over and everyone is back in their street clothes the extraordinary focus brought on tribal culture is gone, everyone, participants and spectators alike, look and act the same. We’re all back in the here and now to being everyday Americans.

Until the next powwow that is. Then the tribal culture explodes again with all the intensity and color and sound and whirlwind of activity that it has. As it has been doing for as long as the tribal cultures have existed. It is remarkable that with all the technological advancements we have made that one can attend a powwow and see into the past. The dances tell their stories, the regalia tells who the individual is, the ceremonies bind the people together again, and the circle is completed one more time.

This is a dynamic culture. It is not static. The people move forward with the time, incorporating anything new that enhances their culture, even while maintaining their direct vision of themselves as distinct members of society with a rich culture rooted deeply in our past. There is a lot going on within one of these celebrations. Attend one if you can.

He Who Watches

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16th Annual Indian Market and Powwow at  The Fort Restaurant

This past weekend, May 14th and 15th, was the 16th Annual Indian Market and Powwow held at the Fort restaurant in Morrison Colorado. It was an incredible affair with Indian vendors showing off amazing art and jewelry, members of various tribes participating in the accompanying powwow and re-enactors dressed as people of the late 1800’s telling stories of times long past. There were informational exhibits that portrayed life in the 1800’s and various Raptors were on display as well. The fact that the setting included the extraordinary Red Rocks that made this area famous as a backdrop just made a good thing better. All in all an exciting event and a great time was had by all.

Jeremy is one of the re-enactors and greeted those arriving through the main entrance in a welcoming but stoic manner. Mountain men tended to be somewhat taciturn when amongst town folk anyway. They were more comfortable in the high country, but like you and I, came to town occasionally to see the sights. Costumes of the period were extremely well done as were the regalia worn by the powwow participants.  This is an extremely interesting gathering and the atmosphere and architecture of The Fort Restaurant is more than worth the trip itself. Especially if you get to order one their Buffalo Burgers.

Over the next few weeks we will be bringing you more images of the Powwow and other events from the Tesoro Indian Market and Powwow featuring Powwow participants from the various tribes that attended and other events that took place. Over 50 tribes were represented plus drum groups and singers to round out the festivities, so there was plenty to see, hear and enjoy.

If you get a chance to attend this event make sure you do, you don’t want to miss experiencing this spectacular event held at the Fort Restaurant. Even if the Indian Market is not happening treat yourself to a wonderful meal. It’s worth the trip.