Woodlands and High Plains Powwow April 13
The 24th Annual Woodlands and High Plains Powwow is Saturday, April 13, on the MSUM campus, Nemzek Fieldhouse. The Woodlands and High Plains Powwow is one of the most popular cultural events in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Sponsors for the event are M State’s Moorhead campus, Concordia College, Minnesota State University Moorhead and North Dakota State University. This year’s powwow is hosted by M State -Moorhead.
Organizers are expecting 3,000 spectators and more than 200 dancers and drummers. The event honors American Indian graduates of the sponsoring Fargo-Moorhead colleges and celebrates the American Indian culture.
The theme of this year’s powwow is “Our Life, Our People,” and it continues the tradition of promoting strong American Indian identities and deepening appreciation for the intellectual gifts and abilities of American Indians in the community.
Doors will be open to the public from 12:30 to 10 p.m., with the grand entries by the participating dancers at 1 and 7 p.m. Dancer registration is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Regular admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children ages 6-18. Admission is free for children under age 6, guests ages 55 and older and students with a current campus ID from any of the four sponsoring colleges.
Head dancers will be Dana Goodwin, a member of the White Earth Nation and an elementary education major at MSUM, and Dane Allapowa, a member of the Woodland Menominee Nation of Wisconsin and an automotive technology student at M State – Moorhead Campus.
The host drum will be Buffalo River Drum Group. Mickey Hodges of the White Earth Nation will be master of ceremonies; Clifford Canku of the Sisseton Wahpeton nation will be spiritual advisor; and Tom Mason of the Rainy River First Nation, Ontario Canada will be the arena director. The honor guard will be the White Earth Honor Guard. Free parking will be available at Nemzek Field House, located at 1711 6th St. South (at the corner of 17th Street and 6th Avenue South) in Moorhead, with designated parking for the handicapped, vendors and elders.
For more information, contact M State’s Chesay Colson at 218.299.6806 or MSUM’s Jody Steile at 218.477.4272.