The 50th Annual CSU Puvungna Pow Wow has been postponed until November due to concerns over the novel-coronavirus.
“After consultation with the President’s Office, Director of Student Health Services Vice President of Student Affairs, the CSULB POW WOW Committee, and informed by our understanding that our elders are our most precious resources, we have decided to postpone our 50th annual Pow Wow,” the CSULB Pow Wow committee said in a statement.
Shiigo-Skye Biiliilitso, vice president of American Indian Studies, said the final decision to postpone was made Tuesday afternoon.
“We didn’t know anything until the meeting because this is a big event, like 6,000 people come every year,” Biiliilitso said. “I’ve been getting phone calls every day since last week asking ‘hey, is it still going on?’ and before today, I was like, yes it’s still going on … but then … I got the news.”
Pow Wow is considered to be one of the largest gatherings of Native American communities in California.
“This precautionary decision is consistent with other large events, unfortunately; being impacted in the CSU system by the coronavirus,” the statement said.
The event was scheduled to span from March 14 to 15 and is now being rescheduled for Nov. 7 and 8.
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