'We dance for those that can't': GVSU's 24th annual Pow Wow celebrates Indigenous Culture

The sound of traditional Indigenous singing and drumming filled the Fieldhouse Arena during Grand Valley’s 24th annual “Celebrating All Walks of Life” Pow Wow, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Native American Student Association on April 12.

A Pow Wow is a community gathering and celebration of Indigenous culture through song, dance, feasting and socializing. Traditional Pow Wows include invited elders, veterans and other honored guests to don their regalia, perform and participate in the celebration.

“Pow Wows are like our family reunions,” said Lin Bardwell, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. 

As Pow Wows are not traditionally held through the winter season, spring Pow Wows like Grand Valley’s are often one of the community’s first opportunities for the community to reunite in the year. “They’re the social gatherings where we share stories and get caught up with one another,” Bardwell said. 

But the Pow Wow was not just a social opportunity, Bardwell said, but something much deeper. 

“Our Pow Wows are meant to bring celebration,” Bardwell said. “It's why we dance. We dance for those who can't.” 

Attendees were able to watch and participate in a number of traditional dances, including a Grand Entry, a Flag Song that honored veterans and Intertribal dances where people of all nations, ages and backgrounds are invited to participate. Attendees could also peruse craft and food booths by community members, and the Native American Student Association hosted a silent auction to raise funds for their organization. 

In Fall 2024, the Office of Multicultural Affairs hosted Indigi-fest , an educational opportunity that invited the community to learn more about the traditions and protocols of a Pow Wow before attending one. Through sessions that covered topics like an introduction to Pow Wows, food sovereignty and tribal governance, Bardwell says that the hope is for events like Indigi-fest to make the Pow Wow less intimidating for new attendees. 

“Visitors can find Pow Wows intimidating, but they really are meant for the public,” she noted. “Everyone is welcome to come and learn because for so many years, Native people have been invisible and erased.”

Learn more about upcoming events by the Office of Multicultural Affairs on their website .