The annual Pow Wow returns to Cal State Long Beach March 13-14 to celebrate American Indian culture.
The Pow Wow is a multicultural American Indian social celebration that focuses on displaying the university’s strong American Indian presence. The two-day event hosted on upper campus will feature American Indian dancing, singing, arts, crafts and food. There will also be contests, intertribal dancing and Gourd dancing.
American Indian studies professor Craig Stone said CSULB is the only university in the United States that is a federally recognized sacred site. Puvungna is a native village that used to occupy land where CSULB now lies.
Stone said that every year, an estimated 6,000 people attend the event, including 250 dancers. It is one of the oldest continuously student-sponsored events on campus and organized primarily by the American Indian Student Council with support from the community, alumni, faculty and staff.
American Indian Leaders of Today and Tomorrow will host an academic conference at the event based on higher education and careers. People will be given the opportunity to listen to different clans and hear California Indian stories from CSULB.
Stone said Head Man Dancer Les Peters will bring an eagle staff made of 24 eagle feathers, which will represent 24 American Indians who have graduated from CSULB. This is similar to a tribal nation carrying traditional values, representing all the people who are part of the extended family of the campus community.
In addition, there will be tents set up with drums and prayers, songs, dances and singing groups will be done in different native languages.
“We will have all flags from different tribal nations around the arena,” Stone said. “It is our tribal flag project, where each flag represents one alumni from Cal State Long Beach. This is what makes the event on campus unique.”
Anyone in attendance is given the opportunity to dance in different age categories. The types of dances will include a social dance, couples dance, rabbit dance, owl dance and Oklahoma two-step. There will also be elaborate traditional clothing that identifies who an individual is and what they have achieved.
Stone said there will also be a memorial to honor those who died last year.
“Active participants will celebrate in song, dance and prayer. The event is not show per se, but a celebration,” Stone said. “Different dance moves of different categories take place. In between dances, there will be an honorary ceremony for people who have done significant things in the community.”
Stone said songs are composed for the CSULB community such as a student encouragement song for continuing education and an alumni song that talks about using education to help people.
The following food will be sold at the Pow Wow: mutton and beef stew, Navajo tacos, fry bread and American Indian burgers. Nonprofit American Indian organizations will also sell both traditional and contemporary American Indian art.
In addition, the American Indian Advisory Council will host its third annual Native American Resource Summit in conjunction with the Pow Wow. The summit has a special focus on services to American Indians with disabilities and other barriers to employment. The summit will have 24 exhibitors and guest speakers.
“Our goal is to outreach to the native community by bringing together community resources,” said Grace Burque, coordinator of the council. “American Indians with disabilities are greatly underserved and our hope is for more applicants to take advantage of the resources available to them.”
Admission and parking is free. It is recommended that spectators bring folding chairs. People are also welcome to dance and bring drums. For more information, visit csulb.edu/powwow.