Stanford Powwow
When you arrive at the Stanford Powwow, the first thing that you’ll hear are the drums. When you step out of the car you can hear the drums’ loud reverberating tone. It will feel like it’s inside of you, and it will make you feel drawn to them. As you walk towards the sound of the drums, you will notice that there are tall trees towering above you, and when you walk a little farther,you’ll see boots filled with clothes, jewelry, and all sorts of different Native American items.
When you arrive at the Stanford Powwow, the first thing that you’ll hear are the drums. When you step out of the car you can hear the drums’ loud reverberating tone. It will feel like it’s inside of you, and it will make you feel drawn to them. As you walk towards the sound of the drums, you will notice that there are tall trees towering above you, and when you walk a little farther,you’ll see boots filled with clothes, jewelry, and all sorts of different Native American items.
At the center of the crowd you can see a large arena shaped in a circle with short grass. Around the arena on one side, there are stands. In on the other, there are tents And each tribe has their own drum circle. One of the dances you will see are of the Aztec people. They wear long feathers all over their bodies, and some have animal fur on them. They dance quickly, moving their legs quickly with beads on their ankles that rattle when they move. When you see this, you will be amazed at their fast footwork and turns. Next up you’ll see all sorts of different dances from different areas of America. You’ll see hoop dancing and a competition for fast footwork.With each dance, you’ll hear different types of music from different tribes.
The Powwow is important because it offers tribes from all over the United States of America the opportunity to come together and honor each other’s cultures. Each year Stanford students work the whole year to raise money for this event. I recommend first-time visitors arrive with an open mind. Observe what other people are doing to figure out how to participate respectfully. I encourage everybody to go to the Stanford Powwow because it’s a fantastic experience.
