ANN ARBOR, Mich. – On March 28 and 29 Ann Arbor’s Skyline High School will host the 48th annual “Dance for Mother Earth” Powwow.
Organized by the University of Michigan’s Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives and the Native American Student Association, the annual Powwow hosts over 1,000 Native American dancers, artists, singers and drummers.
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A competition powwow, dancers, singers and drumming groups will have the opportunity to compete against one another for prizes.
Along with scheduled dances, exhibitions and storytelling, the weekend Powwow also hosts vendors and craftsmen selling an array of goods, such as clothing, foodstuffs and books.
A separate section of the Powwow will be designated for nonprofit organizations that serve the community in areas such as health and wellness.
One-day tickets will cost $10 for adults, $5 for children below age 12, $7 for seniors and non-U-M students and $29 for a family of two adults and up to three children. Weekend tickets cost $15, $7 and $10 respectively. U-M students can attend the event for free.
Tickets can be bought the day-off at the event.
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As the Powwow is a gathering for families and communities, attendees are expected to follow a set of etiquette so as to respect the cultural importance of the event.
“I think the most important thing when you’re at a Powwow, whether or not you identify as part of a Native American community, is just to be respectful and to be considerate of the space that you’re in,” said Maitland Bowen, treasurer of the U-M’s Native American Student Association and the powwow’s main student coordinator.
According to Bowen, it’s important that attendees not touch the regalia worn by dancers.
“The outfits the dancers wear are very expensive. A lot of the time they are handmade by that dancer [or] a lot of the time they’re purchased; but, they’re worth thousands of dollars and worth even more personally and culturally.”
Bowen said that a good rule of thumb is to ask permission of individual dancers or of the “drum”-- a term used to describe the group of musicians using a large drum during songs.
Additional Powwow etiquette includes standing and removing hats during Honor songs. Etiquette specifics can be found on the Dance for Mother Earth Powow website here.
According to Bowen, the 2019 Powwow drew the attention of between 4,000 and 5,000 attendees celebrating Indigenous cultures and histories from around the area.
Skyline High School is at 2552 N. Maple Road.