American Indian Pow Wow draws a crowd at CSULB

The central quad, usually occupied with napping students and darting squirrels, became a flurry of colorful cultural revelry this weekend during the 48th annual American Indian Pow Wow. The melodic chants and the tinkling of bells drew hundreds of community members onto Cal State Long Beach grounds. Attendees traveled from all over the state, bringing colorful shawls, headdresses and jewelry to demonstrate traditional dance and catch up since last year’s event.
The Cal State Long Beach campus is built on American Indian land, specifically that of the Tongva tribe, which created a sense of homage for those who call the campus home.
“It’s important to remember what the land is and where we stand,” said Victoria Aguilera, alumnus and member of the Tongva tribe. “You should always come back to where you started.”