A festival of footwork
Dancers, drummers converge for two-day powwow at SFCC
The 16th annual Spokane Falls Community College Pow Wow brings drummers and dancers to its campus today and Saturday.
Organized by the Red Nations Student Association, the spring powwow features dance categories for men, women, teens and boys and girls. A SFCC Veteran Special Dance has been added this year.
“Everything is free,” said Daniel Fuentes, powwow coordinator and member of the Red Nations. “We have raised all the funds we need from the local tribes and from community donations.”
The spring powwow coincides with a community Native American high school, college and adult education program graduation ceremony, which will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in SUB lounges A and B. La Rae Wiley and students from the Salish School of Spokane will offer the opening blessing for the ceremony, which welcomes Native American graduates from area schools, colleges and programs.
“The graduation ceremony is followed by a salmon feed with fry bread and lots of great food,” Fuentes said. The salmon feed begins at 5 p.m.
Powwow dancers perform traditional, fancy, jingle and grass dances led by master of ceremonies Francis Cullooyah of the Kalispel Tribe. Keith Heavy Runner from Lapwai, Idaho, is the arena master, and dancers come from all over the Inland Northwest and nearby Canadian provinces.
“There will be concessions and booths both days,” Fuentes said.