Native Americans at Dartmouth have secured permission from the College to use the Green as a permanent location for the group's annual Pow-wow, beginning with this spring's 25th anniversary Pow-wow celebration.
The move came partly as a response to overwhelming student protests following the College's decision last spring to deny NAD use of the Green for the event.
More than 600 students had signed a petition calling on the College to allow NAD to use the Green and the Student Assembly passed a resolution asking administrators to reconsider the decision.
The College responded this year by creating a committee to formulate a coherent policy for allowable uses of the Green. College Vice President and Treasurer Lyn Hutton, who sat on the committee, said "it is healthy to re-examine policies ... to make sure that policy and practice coincide."
"Last year there was no argument against having the Pow-wow on the Green," Pow-wow committee member Case Dorkey '99 said, since nothing could be found in any College rule book prohibiting groups from staging events at the center of campus.
The committee decided the Pow-wow would be able to join such traditional events on the Green as the Homecoming bonfire, the Winter Carnival snow sculpture and Green Key festivities.
Members of NAD were elated with the decision.
"One of the reasons we have the Pow-wow is to show our culture and traditions to all of Dartmouth and the community... and since we can do this best on the Green we were psyched when we heard the news," said NAD member Georgianna Tsouhlarakis '99.
NAD members said re-locating the Pow-wow to the Green was a major priority. "Two years ago we went to Parkhurst to protest and now we got what we wanted. We are happy that our efforts finally paid off," said NAD member Ruth Redbird '98.
Tracy Canard '96, chairperson of the Pow-wow, said the Green decision was a victory for the entire student body.
"Besides just Native Americans being upset, many other students and groups were upset and willing to help [last year]... a lot of people worked really hard," said Canard.
The Pow-wow, which this year is scheduled for May 10-11, is a celebration of native culture, featuring inter-tribal dancing and competitions. This year's event will include a basketball tournament and lacrosse exhibition.
More than 1,000 people have attended the event in the last two years.The growth of the event over the last few years, from a one-day event to a two-day event, and now its new location means an even larger turnout -- perhaps in excess of 2,000 people from across the U.S. and Canada according to Canard -- is expected this year.
The Pow-wow is not traditionally held on the Green. It was held there for the first time in 1995, to celebrate the dedication of the College's Native American studies affinity house. Rebuked in their effort to hold the Pow-wow on the Green again last year, NAD instead used Thompson Arena.
Hutton said the Pow-wow's cultural significance to the Dartmouth community, as well as the positive atmosphere, were central factors in the relocation decision.
Although she said the changes were not a direct result of the protests last year, "by raising the question NAD did make a point ... that we felt we should look into."
Some groups objected to allowing the Green to be used too often in the month of May, for fear too many activities would disrupt seeding patterns and kill the grass before Commencement exercises in June.
