(All photos for this post can be found here: 2006.09.01 Barona Powwow)
A few weeks ago Anna and I started hearing some ads on KPBS for the Barona Powwow. The event is free (including free camping), so I’m still a bit puzzled why they would pay for airtime. Excess casino cash maybe? In any case, Anna and I took them up on the offer and attended the opening Friday, September 3rd. I hadn’t been to a powwow since I was a kid, so I was long overdue for a visit.
The Barona Powwow took place on a a ball field about a mile past the huge casino. It was an intimate affair, with only a few hundred people attending. In fact, I’d guess over half of the crowd were participants as well. The standard south-west vendors were there, plenty of gut-bomb fry-bread treats, blankets, and assorted tchotchkes. A powwow is a meeting of tribes, and this was no different. The biggest group seemed to be from Oaklahoma (for good reason) but there were a fair number from the south-west and Califonia.
The powwow started with drumming and singing, then lead into a few Gourd Dances. After that there was a memorial walk for the exiting princess’ grandmother, with many of the other participants joining in for support. It was then time for the powwow grand entry. The grand entry is always fun. All the tribes and dancers follow the eagle staff, flags, elected royalty around the center. Each dancer type is grouped up, so you get to see the participant’s costumes and dancing style for that type. After that it was on to welcoming, crowning the new royalty, and inter-tribal and exhibition dancing. It was worth the drive, the Barona tribe put on a great event.
It was also an interesting event to attend as a Canadian. While parts are the same, the art, dances, and even the look of the people is quite different compared to the northern tribes. I’ve been meaning to write about my native experiences in Canada, perhaps the Barona Powwow experience will give me a starting point.