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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Julyamsh celebrates tribes’ culture of dance, music

Buster Cleveland, 12 a member of the Ho-Chunk tribe from Wisconsin, performs with 700 other Native American dancers during the Grand Entry at the 2016 Coeur d’Alene Tribal Encampment and Julyamsh Powwow. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)

Every July, members of Inland Northwest tribes gather to celebrate culture, history, dancing, music, food and more at the Julyamsh powwow.

“It’s a celebration. Julyamsh is actually the celebration of July or the gathering of July,” said Yvette Matt, the co-chair for the event.

Although the powwow centers around Native American culture, everyone is welcome at Julyamsh, whether they have tribal heritage or not.

The celebration is a colorful and vibrant event, complete with dancers outfitted in traditional Native American powwow dress, known as regalia.

Many of the outfits have ceremonial or familial value and are treasured heirlooms for the dancers.

For example, co-chair Roberta White’s entire family dances. “They have outfits in their family that have been handed down from generation to generation,” Matt said.

All the outfits are handmade.

“Usually you’ll give them individuality,” Matt said. “Every time (the outfits) are worn by somebody else in the family they get a piece of uniqueness from them.”

For those attendees new to powwows or unfamiliar with the culture, Matt says the No. 1 guideline is to never call the outfits “costumes.”

“It’s very offensive. It’s either called your outfit or called your regalia,” she said.

In addition to the beautiful, ornate outfits worn by participants, the dancing itself is a main event. Between 600 to 800 dancers of all ages participate in a variety of categories such as the Men’s Grass Dance and the Women’s Jingle.

Many of the dancers started as soon as they could walk.

Matt recalls fondly her favorite picture of her daughter, who dances at Julyamsh.

“She’s like 6 months old and she has little tiny pigtails and she’s in a buckskin dress,” she said.

Many families travel every weekend to a different powwow to compete.

Although there are certain songs reserved for the dancers who have registered to compete in that category, there are also songs called inter-tribals.

“Inter-tribal means anybody,” Matt said. “If you want to go out and try or if you want to go out and learn, or if your child does and is too scared to go by themselves, anyone can dance.”

Julyamsh is one of the largest powwows in the nation and is not only a place of celebration, it is also a place of healing and new beginnings.

“Some people who have had deaths in their families do a special, certain ceremony,” Matt said. “It allows people a chance to do whatever they need to do to move on.”

Another key aspect of the event is the drumming and music; 60 drum groups will be featured.

The powwow will also include food and craft vendors, as well as a horse parade before each Grand Entry.

“It’s a celebration of life and happiness and just being with your family and your friends,” Matt said.