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Denver March Powwow begins the season

By Cliff Matias, Today correspondent

Story Published: Apr 21, 2009

Story Updated: Apr 20, 2009

DENVER – For more than 35 years, the Denver March Powwow has been the unofficial kickoff of the pow wow season, and it was no different for 2009. The first weekend of spring brought sunny skies, temperatures in the 70s and more than 2,000 dancers, singers and artists from across Indian country to Denver.

First Place Adult Results

Golden Age Men: Lewis Cozad
Chief Senior Men: Terry Fiddler
Golden Age Women: Roberta Wind
Senior Women: Lillian Goodeagle
Men’s Southern Straight: Ron Goodeagle Sr.
Women’s Southern Cloth: Rosie Motah
Men’s Fancy: Doug Scholfield
Women’s Southern Buckskin: Toni Tsatoke
Men’s Grass: Julius Not Afraid
Women’s Jingle Dress: Willow Jack
Men’s Traditional: M.J. Bull Bear
Women’s Fancy: Tanksi Clairmont
Men’s Chicken: Chad Kills Crow
Many of the biggest names in pow wow turned out to compete throughout the weekend. Julius Not Afraid, Nigel Schugler, Ron Goodeagle, Boy Lad, Toni Tsatoke, Adam Nordwall and the legendary Terry Fiddler are just some of the dancers who attended this year’s celebration. More than 30 drum groups from as far away as New Jersey filled the Denver Coliseum with the high pitched songs of the Northern Plains and the deep low singing of the South.

For many of the dancers, this pow wow is the first big event of the season. Now is the time they break out new beadwork, bustles and outfits to show off their winter labors. The first night of the event, for some dancers, is spent in the hotel room sewing and finishing new designs for the weekend competition. “I stayed up until 3 a.m. on Friday sewing ermines on my outfit,” said Nordwall, a grass dancer from Nevada.
 


There were 17 specials hosted during the weekend, with gifts of money, blankets and jackets being donated by various families. The specials honor loved ones who have passed or a family who would like to give something back to the dance circle. The highlight of the weekend was presented by Miss Denver March Amanda Ironstar, who hosted a ladies Jingle Dress special contest. The winner, Grace Pushnetonequa, took home $2,000, a horse, saddle, jacket and complete new jingle dress outfit.

The general contest dancing was tough, especially for dancers coming from sea level to compete at Denver’s 5,200-foot elevation. Because some of the categories had so many dancers, the judges needed more than three songs to decide the winners.

“You could see who’s not from the mountains by the end of the second song, it usually takes at least five days to get used to this thin air,” said Bill Tyler, from North Dakota. Larry Hedgepath, a traditional dancer from Pennsylvania, said he arrived four days early to get acclimated to the elevation.
The pow wow is not just about competition, but also about family, friends and the
public coming together to share the beauty of the culture.
Allen McCabe, a Navajo silversmith from Flagstaff, Ariz., said he was not sure how the weekend would turn out for sales, with all the talk of a recession and American’s not spending, “I’m a little nervous,” he said. But it turned out better than he expected. “I was surprised, we did pretty good considering.” Many of the vendors were thankful the crowds turned out to support Indian arts and culture.

The pow wow is not just about competition, but also about family, friends and the public coming together to share the beauty of the culture.

Next year will mark the 36th Annual Denver March Powwow. If you plan on attending, book your room early because this event is one of the finest on the pow wow trail.

Wednesday, May 13 at 8:39 PM Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina wrote ...

Tuscarora Nation of Maxton hosts American Indian Festival, Pow Wow by Staff9 hrs ago | 37 views | 0 | 1 | | slideshow MAXTON — American Indians from across the country will join the Tuscarora Nation as it celebrates its 29th annual Cultural Festival and Pow Wow on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Tuscarora Nation Territory Tribal Grounds at 288 Tuscarora Nation Road in Maxton. This three-day event is a family gathering and the public is invited to attend. Admission is $2 for adults

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Wednesday, Apr 22 at 7:39 PM powwow wrote ...

The traditional dancer is Hanovi Smith from Long Island..

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Tuesday, Apr 21 at 10:38 AM the one with the pink out fit wrote ...

many of those grass dancers couldn't tell you a thing about their out fit or the origin there of ...now i am going to put my pow wow panties on for the big shin-dig.. so there!!

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