Dance, drums and tradition headline the 53rd American Indian Powwow at Puvanga hosted at Cal State Long Beach

Dancing and tradition set the tone at the 53rd annual American-Indian Powwow at Puvaunga hosted by Cal State University Long Beach from March 14-15, celebrating culture with performance, traditional food and crafts.

The event had a myriad of methods for engaging with the culture, from the variety of foods available, such as fry bread, to handmade clothing being sold in a variety of American Indian styles.

By far, the biggest draw of the day was the dance and drum circle performance, where members of each tribe were represented at the powwow, dressed in extensive regalia and engaged with traditional forms of worship. 

These forms of worship are highly spiritual, with multiple dancers relating the event and the dancing to a form of church, as well as relaying that the earth’s role in these rituals is of the utmost importance.

^{Tohono O’odham and Apache dancer Thomas Parilla, performing a northern traditional warrior dance in the Powwow circle at California State University Long Beach on Sunday, March 15. (Maximus Rago)}

Dancer of the Tohono O’odham and Apache tribe, Thomas Parilla, expressed a deep appreciation for events like these to flourish throughout the whole community of tribes, something he has seen many times in his 60 years of attending.

“You can feel the Mother Earth’s heartbeat,” said Parilla.

Kicking off the celebration was the entrance ceremony led by Darren Henson, who himself went to California State University Long Beach, as well as his mother, Wanda, and shared that the Powwow lets him feel connected to his friends and family, and lends itself to a more communal culture.

 “We all grow up together… He’s like my little brother,” said Henson, while pointing to another dancer whom he had met at a similar event over a decade ago.

_{Dancer Derron Henson, leading the grand opening ceremony while carrying the eagle staff in the Powwow circle at California State University Long Beach on Sunday, March 15. (Maximus Rago)}

These sentiments would be consistently echoed by nearly every dancer, with many expressing that the time they spent at the different Powwows they would attend gave them a connection that was not only spiritual in nature but also communal.

This connection was seen as a link to heritage and a way to stay connected despite the distances that separated many tribes, with stories like Henson, who was forced to move from Oklahoma to Oakland and yet still feels connected to his roots and tribe through events like the Powwow.

Further supported by Aliya Gibson, a dancer from the Tule River Yokut tribe, where the tribe’s origin is located in the foothills of Sierra, Nevada.

“I get a connection with my family in a way nothing else can,” said Gibson.

Experiences were not limited to those who held American Indian heritage, as many people who arrived and took part in the festivities were from vastly different walks of life.

LBCC faculty also enjoyed the event, such as the Dean of Visual, Performing Arts & Cultural Programs, Janet Hund, sharing her family’s experience with the Powwow 

“I’ve brought my kids since they were little,” said Hund.

Worship allowed the communities to be more involved with one another and have a greater respect for the customs of their neighbors.

^{Thomas Parilla, dancer pictured in front participating in the Powwow circle at California State University Long Beach on Sunday, March 15. Thomas is performing a northern traditional warrior dance. Aditional American Indians are also participating behind him. (Maximus Rago)}