How many words do you know in the Algonquian language? You might know one: powwow. At first, the word was spelled pau wau and used in relation to medicine.

In the early 19th century, traveling medicine shows began using powwow to describe their wares. These medicine sellers sometimes employed American Indians to dance to entice customers. Soon, the term applied to this type of dancing and the medicines. The name powwow stuck. Later, American Indians themselves used the term to describe dancing for an audience in an exhibition.

For centuries, American Indians came together for many different ceremonial gatherings. They celebrated homecomings after battles, seasonal changes, marriages, and spiritual practices. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. government took much of their lands and sent them to reservations, sometimes far from their traditional homelands.

This dark time did produce some light. Long before Europeans arrived, powwows were exclusive. They were celebrations, but only for a specific tribe and people from friendly neighboring tribes. With the displacement of American Indians to reservations, tribes previously unknown to the other (sometimes bitter enemies) were now neighbors. Now connected, they began sharing their traditions and cultures, such as their songs, dances, food, and art. Powwows became a way to celebrate homecoming for Native Americans as a whole—a way to come together after conflicts and the United States government’s injustices.

Two predominant intertribal traditions arose: the Grass Dance and the Drum Religion. The Drum Religion was sacred. For centuries, drums have been at the center of the American Indian lifestyle, and in various ways, they have been used to connect with the higher power known as the Great Spirit.

Originally, the Grass Dance was a Warrior Dance, but it has evolved over the years. It’s become a highly-competitive form of dancing and showcases the dancer’s outfit and style. The regalia they wear connects them to their past and represents continuity.

With drumming, singing, and dancing, the modern powwow was born. It has become a gathering for Native people to express themselves and
share their respective cultures.