Representatives from more than 40 Native American tribes are expected to participate in an afternoon of competitive and exhibitional drumming and tribal dancing during the 22nd annual Dartmouth Pow-Wow tomorrow.
The Pow-Wow, which will start at noon on the Bema, is sponsored by the College's Native American program and Native Americans at Dartmouth.
The event draws approximately 1,000 spectators and participants from across the United States and Canada, and serves to encourage interaction between the 150 tribes represented by members of NAD.
"The event is an opportunity to share Native American culture with the surrounding community," Mark Blair '94 said. Blair co-chaired the all-student committee that began planning and preparing for the Pow-Wow a year ago.
The Pow-Wow will begin with the Grand Entry, a parade of all participating dancers and flag-bearers enhanced with songs and elaborate pageantry.
Director of the Native American studies program Leisha Conners said, "I like very much to see the different tribes and dancing styles all together," Conners said.
Following the entry will be performances and a dance competition open to the public. This year's host drummers are the Gray Horse Singers from Tulsa, Okla., featuring head singer Jack Anquoe of the Kiowa tribe and Thundercloud of the Winnebago tribe in Black River Falls, Wis.
Head dancers will be Marvin Burnette, a member of Oglala Lakota from Nashua, N.H., and Muriel Lewis, a member of the Onondaga Nation from Nedrow, N.Y.
The afternoon will also feature a performance by Kevin Locke, a celebrated Lakota flute player and hoop dancer of the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota.
Locke, who was named 1990 National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment of the Arts, will dance the Lakota hoop dance, which interlocks 28 hoops to represent the unity of humankind.
Two distinguished native Hawaiian Hula dancers, Liz Carey '93 of Honolulu, O'ahu, and Ty Tengan of Wailuku, Maui, are also scheduled to perform.
Tchin, a renowned Blackfeet/Naragassett artist, educator and flute player from Brooklyn, N.Y. will serve as the Pow-Wow's master of ceremonies.
The competitive dance categories include men's and women's traditional; men's and women's fancy; women's jingle dress; men's grass dance; and children's exhibition dancing.
Following the Pow-Wow, a community dinner sponsored by Dartmouth Dining Services will be held at 6 p.m on the Bema.
In case of rain, the Pow-Wow will be held at Thompson Arena.
NAD will provide airfare and boarding for performers, as well as an honorarium for their service and participation.
Funding for the Pow-Wow is provided by the Committee on Student Organizations, Panarchy undergraduate society, Phi-Tau coed fraternity, the African-American Society and the Dartmouth Bookstore.
