Britannica.com describes the word ‘powwow’ “as a celebration of American Indian culture in which people from diverse indigenous nations gather for the purpose of dancing, singing and honoring the traditions of their ancestors. The term derives from a curing ritual, which originated in the Algonquian nations of the Northeast Indians.”
The 78th annual Shinnecock Indian Nation Powwow starts tomorrow, Aug. 30, and continues through the weekend, ending on Monday, Sept. 2.
A full-on immersive experience for folks of all ages, the Powwow offers the South Fork community a taste of native arts, crafts as well as a bunch of performances of traditional dance and drumming contests from various members of the Shinnecock Nation and beyond.
Set for West Church Street on the grounds of the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, “this annual gathering of nations, hosted by Shinnecock, is a celebration of our ancestry and culture,” says Jeremy Dennis, a contemporary fine art photographer, artist and member of the Nation who also serves as the executive director at Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. “Visitors will have the chance to learn about our dances, experience traditional foods and support Shinnecock artists. While the event is open to the public, it’s the one time each year that many Shinnecock tribal members living off territory come together to celebrate being Shinnecock.”
The Shinnecock, Algonquian for “people of the stony shore,” is one of the oldest self-governing tribes in the state, according to the Nation’s website. Back in 2010, it was formally named the 565th federally recognized tribe with about 1,600 enrolled tribal members.
“The Nation primarily holds jurisdiction over tribal territory at Shinnecock Neck, a peninsula that juts into the Shinnecock Bay, encompassing approximately 900 acres,” the website says, “as well as land at Westwood in Hampton Bays encompassing approximately 100 acres along the Peconic Bay.”
Tickets to Powwow are $20 for adults, $10 for kids between the ages of 5 and 12, seniors over 65 and military personnel with ID. Free for kids under 5 years old. Food and goods will be available for sale throughout the grounds each day, and it is recommended by the Nation’s powwow committee to bring cash, as not all vendors will accept other forms of payment. Tomorrow, the gates open at 3 p.m. and will close at 10 p.m.. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m..
A statement from the Nation’s powwow committee says, “Named one of the top five most popular powwows by Powwows.com, we seek to continue the tradition of providing this culturally enlightening, educational and entertaining gathering of indigenous people of the Americas.”
