Pow-Wow

A pow wow (also powwow or pow-wow) is a social gathering held by many different American Indian communities. The word is derived from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader". A similar gathering by California Indians, usually in the fall, is called a Big Time. A modern pow wow is a specific type of event for American Indian people to meet and dance, sing, socialize, and honor their cultures. Pow wows may be private or public. There is generally a dancing competition, often with significant prize money awarded. Pow wows vary in length from a one-day event, to major pow wows called for a special occasion which can be up to one week long.

In popular culture, such as older Western movies, the term has also been used to describe any gathering of Indians, or to refer to any type of meeting, such as among military personnel. However, such use may be viewed as cultural appropriation and disrespectful.

Planning for a pow wow generally begins months, perhaps even a year, in advance of the event by a group of people usually referred to as a pow wow committee. Pow wows may be sponsored by a tribal organization, by an American Native community within an urban area, a Native American Studies program or American Native club on a college or university campus, tribe, or any other organization that can provide startup funds, insurance, and volunteer workers.

A pow wow committee consists of a number of individuals who do all the planning prior to the event. If a pow wow has a sponsor, such as a tribe, college, or organization, many or all members of the committee may come from that group. The committee is responsible to recruit and hire the head staff, publicize the pow wow, secure a location, and recruit vendors who pay for the right to set up and sell food or merchandise at the pow wow.

The head staff of a pow wow are the people who run the event on the day or days it actually occurs. They are generally hired by the pow wow committee several months in advance, as the quality of the head staff can affect attendance. To be chosen as part of the head staff is an honor, showing respect for the person's skills or dedication.

The arena director is the person in charge during the pow wow. Sometimes the arena director is referred to as the whip man, sometimes the whip man is the arena director's assistant, and many pow wows don't have a whip man. The arena director makes sure dancers are dancing during the pow wow and that the drum groups know what type of song to sing. If there are contests the arena director is ultimately responsible for providing judges, though he often has another assistant who is the head judge. The arena director is also responsible for organizing any ceremonies that may be required during the pow wow, such as when an eagle feather is dropped, and others as required. One of the main duties of the arena director is to ensure that the dance arena is treated with the proper respect from visitors to the pow wow.

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