Powwow dance exemplifies the spirit of community and the energy of competition.

Some powwow dances are modern expressions, while others stem from resilient cultural stories and religious traditions that have survived decades of suppression. For fifty years, the United States government prohibited Native American dances and religious practices, only lifting the ban in 1933. Canada likewise outlawed dances, powwows, and similar gatherings from 1876 to 1951.

From their origins in tribal communities in the Great Plains region, contemporary powwows expanded over the twentieth century. Today, powwows are organized in almost every state and province and have become some of the most prominent public venues for Native American and First Nations artistry, often including competitive dance. As intertribal events, they gather friends and family together, honor community members, and, above all, celebrate Indigenous art, food, dance, and music. Powwow dance forms are dynamic and always changing, drawing dancers from diverse Native nations and all ages, from “tiny tots” to senior adults.

During this performance at the 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival by the Native Pride Dancers, T’ata Begay (Choctaw/Taos Pueblo) introduced the distinctive regalia and history of the fancy war dance, which has long been considered a men’s dance but is increasingly performed and competed by women. MorningStar Roberts (Choctaw/Taos Pueblo) demonstrated her championship-winning style. The Native Pride Dancers are an intertribal performing arts and education troupe directed by Larry Yazzie (Meskwaki).

Rebecca Fenton is the lead curator for the Indigenous Voices of the Americas program at the 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.