Pow wow

This weekend I attended the “Cherish the Children” pow-wow in St. Paul, an annual benefit for a local family center for the St. Paul American Indian community. I enjoyed watching the dancers and the drumming groups (about ten of them; unfortunately I didn't have time to talk with anyone from the drum groups); the drummers seemed to draw a group of onlookers. There were several really good groups of drummer/singers—referred to as “the drum” meaning both the instrument and the players surrounding it---each with their own style and percussive rhythm, as well as range of ages of their members. The look on the drummers’ faces was usually intense concentration. I’ve read that the drum is considered the heartbeat of the people, or of the earth--the drums were obviously very important in keeping the dancers moving, around and around the circle of the Central High School gymnasium.
Going to the pow-wow (my second in the past six months) demystified some of the images I had of pow-wows and Native Americans in general. I came away with the impression that pow-wows are not only about tradition and ritual, but a great deal about socializing and the coming together of families and friends.
These were obviously modern people living in the modern world, and actively keeping their "old ways" alive. The pow-wow was really focused on drumming, singing, and enjoyment of togetherness. A book that was sent my way from a colleague at work said it best: “Indians acknowledge today that the old way has indeed changed forever, and that to survive they must now combine aspects of their older customs with realities of the world in which they live...the new way of life does not replace the old; the old survives by adapting and intensifying. (p. 68, Brown and Toelken. “American Indian Pow-wow”. Folklife Annual 1987, The American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress) Going to the Cherish the Children pow-wow showed me vividly, in all its colors and rhythms, how the really important aspects of American Indian culture—singing, dancing, the reciprocal giving of gifts—is being kept alive today.