Powwow

Grand Entry at the 1983 Omaha Pow-wow
Men's traditional dancers, Montana, 2007
Pow-Wow in Wendake, Quebec/Canada, 2014

A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today are an opportunity for Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or public, indoors or outdoors. Dancing events can be competitive with monetary prizes. Powwows vary in length from single-day to weeklong events.

In mainstream American culture, such as 20th-century Western movies or by military personnel, the term powwow was used to refer to any type of meeting. This usage is now considered by some Native Americans to be an offensive case of appropriation because of the cultural significance powwows hold.[1]

  1. ^ "Powwow". Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2022.