So This Pow-Wow You Speak Of

A few months ago, my friend described her first pow wow experience: it started out as a normal party in hill-country Texas. Then a few guys started chanting. No big deal. Then the chanting got louder and louder, and she realizes that someone has been playing a hand drum. And another guy is wearing his headdress.  And before she knew it, she was caught in this intense session of music and spiritual healing.

This was mine:

I took pictures at a pow wow competition this weekend. Like any other competition, dancers completed in different categories (ie. men, women, youth male, youth female, etc).
The male costumes were more elaborate than the women, and for the most part, so were most of their dancing movements:

In between the categories,  people were invited to dance to the live music:

The competition also hosted vendors who sold accessories inspired by Native American design, so a lot of turquoise jewerly, dream catchers, and general things made from various animal skins decorated with feathers:

I LOVED being able to see all the ceremonial clothing. All the different colors and shapes that went into building something that holds so much significance for a culture:

I got in a few good pictures with, but everything felt a little commercial since it was a public event. The hosts did mention that since a white buffalo named ”Lightning Medicine Cloud” was born this summer in Greenville, something should be going down soon.

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Pictures of the 49th Annual Pow Wow Competition in Trader’s Village:

Shop owners, Robert and Dena

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