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CU Boulder Fall 2024 Powwow: A Resounding Celebration of Culture and Connection

CU Boulder Fall 2024 Powwow: A Resounding Celebration of Culture and Connection

The Fall 2024 Powwow at CU Boulder marked the return of a beloved tradition to campus after a 23-year hiatus. On September 28, Farrand Field became a vibrant hub of song, dance, and storytelling, as over 1,500 attendees gathered to celebrate Native community, build connections, and honor Native students. Over 70 dancers and 25 drummers also joined the powwow, representing six different states and at least 20 tribes.

 

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Photo Credits: Karla Garcia Trujillo

The CU Boulder Fall 2024 Powwow was far more than a cultural event on campus—it was a powerful act of community-building and a reflection of CU Boulder’s Land Acknowledgment in action. The powwow was woven together by the tremendous efforts of staff and faculty, the work and vision of students, the participation, council, and support of community members, and administrative leaders who are dedicated to the thriving and joy of Native students at CU Boulder. 

Dance categories from Tiny Tots to Golden Age, including Jingle, Grass, Fancy, and Traditional, brought dynamic energy to the arena, led by Head Staff and Drums. The day was enriched by the guidance of experienced Arena Director Phil Gover, Audio Engineer Anthony Crank, and Spiritual Leader Marty ChaseAlone who upheld the Powwow’s sacred purpose.

Vendors showcased stunning artistry, from beadwork and jewelry to textiles and foods, while educational moments offered attendees a deeper understanding of the cultural and spiritual significance of Powwows.

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Photo Credits: Johnette Martin

Acknowledging Key Contributions

The Fall 2024 CU Boulder Powwow was made possible through a collaborative effort among diverse partners who contributed expertise, resources, and community connections. Key collaborators included the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS), which led logistical planning and financial coordination; the Center for Inclusion and Social Change (CISC), which managed media, cultural competency efforts, and event organization; and 1st Tribal Consulting, providing invaluable guidance and day-of support. Departments across campus, including Student Affairs, the Environmental Center, Theatre & Dance, Recreation Center, and the College of Music, provided essential funding, resources, and staff support, ensuring the Powwow's success. Together, these partners revived a vibrant tradition that celebrated Indigenous culture and community.

Importantly, Native students were integral to not only the execution of the day, but also aspects of the organizing. The undergraduate Oyate Native American and Indigenous Student Organization's early planning and vision laid the foundation for this event, and the Native Graduate Student Group generously offered community connections that helped bring the Powwow to life.

We also extend heartfelt gratitude to Steven LaPointe and Earlidawn Roy from 1st Tribal Consulting, the event’s Master of Ceremonies and Tabulator, respectively. The couple's contributions went far beyond their roles on the day-of. Steve and Erlidawn provided invaluable pre-event consultation, sharing their vast network of expertise, and offering cultural education throughout the powwow.

Sustainability and Community Collaboration

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The Powwow embodied a commitment to sustainability, achieving an impressive 89% waste diversion rate with the generous donations of waste bins and staffing from the Environmental Center. Additionally, 100 volunteers from across the community, all of whom attended cultural sensitivity training prior to the powwow, played an essential role in executing the event. Volunteers aided with every aspect of event logistics, from set up/take down, escorting elders in golf carts, to handing out water on the hot day. Volunteers included CU Boulder and CU Denvers students, staff, and faculty, as well as people in leadership positions both at CU and in community organizations, such as the Boulder Public Library.

The powwow was beautiful and fun! I enjoyed having the opportunity to volunteer, connect with people in my community, and learn from native students and staff who organized the volunteer training and the event. Thank you!
- S

It was too much fun as Native Uber-NU
For VINs- “Very Important Natives”
Would do it again
- H

Great powwow! I’m looking forward to many more at CU Boulder! I’m glad to have been a part of this awesome event.
- A

It was wonderful to see the event come together and to support community and colleagues in making a long-held vision, real.
- T

Indeed, partnerships with CU Boulder departments, local organizations, and Native communities provided the critical support needed to make this celebration possible. The revival of the CU Boulder Powwow was made possible by the generous support of numerous internal and external co-sponsors. Internal contributors included the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS), Center for Inclusion and Social Change (CISC), Department of Theatre & Dance, College of Music, Department of Ethnic Studies, CU Art Museum, the College of Arts & Sciences, the Dean of Student Success, Student Affairs, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of History, Women and Gender Studies Program, School of Education, Leeds School of Business, Renee Crown Wellness Institute, Recreation Center, Fiske Planetarium, Health and Wellness Services, the American Indian Alumni Association, the Office of Community and Government Affairs, Center for the American West, and the Arts and Sciences JEDI Initiative.

External partners included New Era Colorado Grant, First Nations Development Institute, Boulder Public Library, Read Queen Bookstore, and Greenhouse Scholars.

The combined efforts of these co-sponsors raised the funds needed to make this cultural event a vibrant and meaningful celebration.

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Photo Credits: Karla Garcia Trujillo

Looking Ahead with the Charge of an Eagle Staff

Our students had the great honor of being gifted an Eagle Staff special made by family of JMichael Crank. The charge of this staff is the spirit with which we hope to approach all future powwows - to take responsibility for one another's wellbeing, to be steadfast in our advocacy for Native peoples, and honoring community through gathering regularly.

We received surveys from 25% of our audience and have valuable feedback for future powwows. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees emphasized the event’s warm and inclusive atmosphere. Native students remarked how important it was for them to feel at home and the significance of the day on their sense of belonging. To follow the charge of the eagle staff, CNAIS and CISC would like to see this experience sustained and further enhanced. To do so, alongside other organizing partners and various campus stakeholders, we are identifying how to better navigate, and minimize or even eliminate, institutional barriers for powwow planning and external Native community integration.

Additionally, to sustain and grow this tradition, we invite the community to support future Powwows through donations, sponsorships, and volunteer efforts.

Thank you to everyone who participated in and contributed to this unforgettable celebration of our beautiful CU Boulder Indigenous community. Together, we can ensure that the Powwow tradition continues to thrive at CU Boulder for years to come!

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Photo Credit: Glenn Asakawa

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Photo Credits: Johnette Martin

Names of Key Participants and Staff

HEAD STAFF

Master of Ceremonies:

Steven LaPointe

Tabulator:

ErliDawn Roy

Spiritual Advisor:

Marty ChaseAlone

Arena Director:

Phil Gover

Head Woman:

Rebekah HorseChief

Head Man:

Phillip Moosomin

Head Young Woman:

Maya Contreras

Head Young Man:

JaRon Fowler

Color Guard:

Arapaho Color Guard & Native American Women Warriors

Northern Drum:

Drifting Bull

Southern Drum:

Shield Chief

STUDENT LEADERS AND ORGANIZERS

Undergraduate

Alfredo Bitsoi, Oyate President and CNAIS Intern

Artemis Nopah, Oyate Social Chair

Deelia Sherman, Oyate Communications Chair

Jacob Fenner, former Oyate Co-President

Graduate

Saydie Sago, Native Graduate Student Group Leadership Council Member and PhD student in Integrative Physiology

Revaline Nez, Native Graduate Student Group Leadership Council Member, CNAIS Graduate Student Representative, and PhD student in the School of Education

Karla Garcia Trujillo, Native Graduate Student Group Leadership Council Member and PhD student in the School of Education

Johnette Martin, Graduate Student at the American Music Research Center and Powwow Photographer

MAIN ORGANIZING STAFF/FACULTY

Dr. Junior Reina, Program Manager for Native and Indigenous Students (CISC)

Lila Crank, Office Manager for the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies

Anya Cloud, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance