logo
Powwow class gives urban Native families space to celebrate culture

Powwow class gives urban Native families space to celebrate culture

Yahoo17-05-2025

Bella DavisNew Mexico In Depth
Niko DeRoin-Silva has been in the powwow arena since she could walk.
She was too young to remember that time, but relatives of hers speak about it fondly. Growing up in northern California, away from her tribal community, dancing helped her feel connected.
'Sometimes we call it a coming out ceremony, where we give someone the right to dance, and the person sponsoring the dancer will show them around the arena, teach them about their regalia,' DeRoin-Silva (Otoe-Missouria/Choctaw) said. 'I know for my own tribe, we dress them in the arena as a witness. Everybody can see that they are loved, they are cared for, they are supported.'
Now, DeRoin-Silva is hosting free, weekly classes in downtown Albuquerque, where families practice dancing and share knowledge with each other, like how to make regalia to wear at powwows — gatherings hosted by many, but not all, Indigenous communities in the U.S. and Canada that feature dancing, singing and drumming.
'When you're urban, you're disconnected, and we're bombarded constantly with our job, school, having to study, of course, technology all the time,' DeRoin-Silva said. 'And I wanted to provide a safe space where adults and youth could come and explore their culture in a positive way.'
At an April class, a couple dozen families, some with teenagers and others with toddlers, arrived at the Resilience Hub, run by local nonprofit New Mexico Community Capital. They grabbed food as they caught up, and later, took part in what's called grand entry, where all dancers entered the circle to a song from drum group Shield Chief.
DeRoin-Silva also goes over etiquette during each class.
'If you are at a powwow and you get called up to receive a gift, it's protocol to go around the arena,' she told attendees. 'You're going to come around the perimeter of the circle up to where you're being asked to come up. And that might be if you're head dancer and you're receiving a gift, if you're somebody being honored, or if you're just somebody that wants to go up to the announcer stand to ask a question.'
Juanita Growing Thunder (Assiniboine/Sioux), who was at the class with her daughter Jessa Rae and her granddaughters, said she's proud of DeRoin-Silva for giving young people a space 'where they can come and learn these things, and they don't have to be embarrassed.'
That's been a dream of DeRoin-Silva's for years, said Jessa Rae Growing Thunder (Assiniboine/Sioux), who hasn't missed a class since they started earlier this year. She and DeRoin-Silva grew up together.
'I was tearing up tonight because I was telling her it's really cool to see everybody get more and more comfortable being here,' she said, and that includes her two daughters. 'This is a safe place, and not every place is safe for us to come as women and bring our kids and share space and learn from one another. And so Niko has done it.'
DeRoin-Silva, who moved to Albuquerque for college, taught her first formal powwow lessons in 2019 at the Native American Community Academy, where one of her daughters was a student.
'It was really cool to see people when they came to pick up their students,' DeRoin-Silva said. 'You know, I had dads that said, 'Hey, I have a drum. Do you mind if I bring it?' And I'm like, 'Yes, of course.' … And another parent said, 'Hey, I have these shawls that are just collecting dust. Maybe I could donate them to your class.' I had another parent offer to sew parts of regalia. And so community just started to form from that one class, and it just snowballed.'
That's been her experience with this new class, too.
Shield Chief, the drum group, has shared songs at a couple recent classes, and they've answered questions from attendees, like at what age boys can start singing. Growing up with his family's drum group, head singer Wil Gover (Pawnee/Tohono O'odham/Cherokee) said he took that kind of knowledge for granted.
'But for someone that doesn't come from maybe that background, or doesn't know the etiquette and the protocol, could be a little intimidating,' Gover said. 'So definitely glad to come out and answering those questions and helping through the process and just show that it is open and it's welcoming. You know, it shouldn't be a scary thing to either try to learn to dance or sing.'
DeRoin-Silva sees the class as a form of resistance.
The roots of modern powwows can be traced back to the 1800s. They continued to grow as the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 brought more Native Americans to cities — part of a larger effort by the U.S. government to assimilate them and, ultimately, dispossess them of their lands. The Bureau of Indian Affairs touted the relocation program as an opportunity to escape poverty on reservations and find good housing and jobs in cities. In reality, tribal citizens who relocated were met with unemployment, discrimination and a loss of community support and cultural connection.
As that was happening, DeRoin-Silva noted, the American Indian Movement started up in 1968 as a response to injustices stemming from colonialism.
'You have this uprise of these repressed Indigenous communities starting to say, 'Hey, we'd like to reclaim that. And, yeah, let's go forward and be community, and we're in these urban areas, and let's learn from each other.' And so powwows sort of became the new community event, where everybody could come together,' DeRoin-Silva said. 'And, you know, it was resistance. It was definitely resistance.'
This story is part of a collaborative series from New Mexico In Depth and New Mexico PBS called Indigenously Positive. Bella Davis (Yurok) was the host/producer for this episode; NMPBS' Joey Dunn (Diné) was the director/producer; NMPBS Multimedia Producer Benjamin C. Yazza (Diné) was a producer.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Katy Perry Supports Migrants Amid ICE Raids: ‘Deep Injustice'
Katy Perry Supports Migrants Amid ICE Raids: ‘Deep Injustice'

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Katy Perry Supports Migrants Amid ICE Raids: ‘Deep Injustice'

Katy Perry is voicing her support for migrants. On Tuesday night, the pop star highlighted Los Angeles' Mexican roots with reposts via her Instagram stories. One described the ICE raids on immigrants as a 'huge injustice' on the communities who've lived there for generations. 'This was once Mexican land, and the people being targeted today are often descendants of those who have lived here for generations — or who came seeking safety, work, and dignity,' read one of the posts shared by Perry. More from Rolling Stone Los Angeles ICE Raids Are Driving Immigrants - And Citizens - Underground Some Trump Officials Now Fear Elon's 'Burn Book' Masked ICE Agents Detain 9-Month-Pregnant U.S. Citizen in L.A. Crackdown In another, Perry's repost highlighted how L.A. has 'seen borders shift' and how 'the people [here] — especially the brown and Indigenous people — have always been there, planting roots, building lives, raising families,' the post read. 'And now in 2025, the descendants of those same communities are being hunted like criminals in their own ancestral home.' 'It's more than infuriating — it's a deep injustice,' the post continued. 'How can a city built on Mexican labor, Mexican history, and Mexican culture turn around and criminalize the very people who shaped it?' Perry joins a long list of celebrities standing by immigrants, and who are speaking out against President Donald Trump's ICE raids and deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Ivan Cornejo, and Finneas, are among the artists speaking out against the president's deployment and ICE raids. Protests have been taking place across the country over the last several days in opposition of the tactics the federal government has implemented to target immigrant communities. ICE agents have appeared to ignore due process, arresting migrants at immigration hearings; arrested a mother who was holding her baby; and are carrying out round-ups at workplaces and construction sites. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked

FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton unveils diverse and inclusive 2025–26 season
FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton unveils diverse and inclusive 2025–26 season

Hamilton Spectator

time16 hours ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton unveils diverse and inclusive 2025–26 season

The FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton has announced a dynamic 2025–26 season, featuring a mix of celebrated Canadian musicians, thought-provoking speakers, high-energy performances and free community programming aimed at making the arts more accessible than ever. From iconic performers like Jann Arden and the James Barker Band to unique cultural voices such as Twin Flames and the Men of the Deeps, the new season reflects Milton's growing diversity and commitment to inclusive, community-based programming. 'Each season's programming is shaped by a range of factors, including a focus on Canadian talent, community demographics, audience feedback, past ticket trends and current interests,' said Tammy Townsend, Manager of Cultural Services for the Town of Milton. 'Our goal is to offer something for everyone in Milton.' Subscribers also gain access to early announcements, special offers and exclusive contests. Among the season's highlights is a free community performance by Twin Flames, the award-winning husband-and-wife duo known for blending folk, rock and Indigenous music with storytelling and humour. Scheduled to coincide with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, the show is part of the Centre's ArtSparks program—an initiative launched to give all children in Milton an opportunity to attend a performance. 'In 2021, Milton Town Council endorsed its first Culture Plan, which includes five strategic Avenues of Action,' said Townsend. 'Avenue 3 focuses on supporting Indigenous cultural resurgence, and this performance by Twin Flames aligns with that commitment.' An evening show was also added to the daytime school-focused performance to ensure broader community access across all age groups—regardless of financial circumstances. 'By offering free programming, we're removing barriers and opening the door to more people,' said Townsend. 'It's about equity, connection, and making the arts part of everyday life.' The FirstOntario Arts Centre continues to grow as a cultural anchor for the community, with programming that spans multiple genres and disciplines. Over the years, community engagement has evolved through efforts like ArtSparks and by welcoming diverse acts that reflect Milton's changing demographics. 'Since launching ArtSparks, we've expanded access to the arts for more children and families in Milton,' Townsend said. 'Recent performances like Bollywood dance and Cirque Kalabanté brought vibrant, global storytelling to our stage.' This season, audiences can expect major names in Canadian music, including country chart-toppers the James Barker Band and Dallas Smith, as well as Canada's Celtic rock legends the Mudmen, celebrating 25 years and more than 3,000 live shows. The Centre will also host the Men of the Deeps, a choir made up of working and retired coal miners from Cape Breton whose performances have captivated audiences with tradition-rich harmonies and stories. In April 2026, Just for Laughs returns to Milton, adding a comedic note to the season. Beyond entertainment, the 2025–26 lineup features events that explore deeper themes. A notable inclusion is What You Won't Do for Love, an intimate theatrical experience with environmentalists David Suzuki and Tara Cullis. The event will spotlight their lifelong partnership and how love can be a force for environmental change. 'The arts play a vital role in our community—strengthening the economy, fostering inclusion, and enhancing overall well-being and quality of life,' said Townsend. 'Programs like this reflect how the arts can both entertain and educate.' Jann Arden, a Canadian music icon with 19 Top Ten singles and a Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction to her name, will return to the Centre with a holiday concert featuring selections from her 2015 album A Jann Arden Christmas. As Milton continues to grow rapidly, so does the demand for inclusive and engaging cultural programming. The FirstOntario Arts Centre has responded by doubling down on its mission to ensure the arts are a part of everyday community life. 'Fresh off the success of our 2024–25 season, we're back with a brand-new, all-Canadian lineup,' said Steve Palmer, Director of Recreation and Culture at the Town of Milton. 'We invite you to gather and be inspired through captivating performances that speak to the heart of what it means to come together as a community.' Townsend said the Centre remains committed to that vision through continued investment in free and low-cost programs, cross-cultural storytelling and artist diversity. 'There's something powerful about seeing your own story—or a story new to you—on stage,' she said. 'It creates empathy, excitement, and a sense of belonging.' To view the full lineup and learn more, visit the FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton website or follow the Centre on Facebook and Instagram. Residents can also sign up for the Encore newsletter to stay informed about upcoming shows, contests and community opportunities. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Minnesota exhibit uplifts Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ voices in Indigenous art
Minnesota exhibit uplifts Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ voices in Indigenous art

USA Today

timea day ago

  • USA Today

Minnesota exhibit uplifts Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ voices in Indigenous art

Minnesota exhibit uplifts Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ voices in Indigenous art Arnold Dahl-Wooley, who grew up in northern Minnesota's small towns and is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, realized as early as kindergarten that he wasn't crushing on girls like other boys his age. When he got older and heard his voice played back on a cassette tape for the first time, he panicked. He didn't want his voice giving away his secret. School history textbooks referred to Indigenous people as 'savages' and discussed them in the past tense. The Catholic Church, which ran mandatory Indian boarding schools into the 1960s to eliminate Indigenous culture and language, considered homosexuality an abomination. To be Native and Queer invited harm and ostracization, and the likely loss of friends and family. Dahl-Wooley, who's now 54 and an advocate for others who are Indigenous and LGBTQ+, wasn't ready to risk that. 'I changed the way I talked. I made sure I walked right, sat right and did what was typical heterosexual male,' he says. That included dating girls and joining school sports. He graduated from Cass Lake High School, but pretending to be someone else was exhausting, and he felt like he was breaking until he came out to his family at age 19. 'This is who I am, and I'm ready to walk away if you're going to stop loving me,' Dahl-Wooley remembers telling them. 'It was one of the most freeing moments of my life.' Learning more about Ojibwe heritage at Bemidji State University changed the colonial and Christian narratives he had been taught. Most notable was discovering that long before Europeans arrived, Indigenous nations across North, South America and the Caribbean had roles for people who didn't identify as exclusively male nor female. The term 'Two-Spirit' (2S) term was decided in 1990 during the Annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference in Winnipeg, Canada to cover these historically honored and respected tribal citizens who often served in roles such as healers, medicine people and visionaries. 'The Two-Spirits are people who can see through the eyes of more than gender,' says October, he opened an office in Bemidji, Minnesota for Two-Spirit Advocacy, a grassroots organization that helps other Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ members to find community resources, make connections and to see their strengths and gifts. Find your medicine Artist and activist Penny Kagigebi, who just turned 60, lives in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, about 80 miles from Bemidji and close to the White Earth Reservation where she grew up. It's one of 11 tribal nations in the state. Like most of them, it's in a largely rural area. Like Dahl-Wooley, she had no community supports or role models for being anything other than a heterotypical female while growing up. She always felt out of step with peers, she says, and then had her first relationship with a woman at age 26. They were open about their relationship, and Kagigebi faced workplace discrimination. When what became a four-year legal battle took a toll on her health, she found vital support through PFLAG in Fargo, North Dakota, and turned to Native knowledge for healing. In the 2000s, she learned to make Ojibwe porcupine quillwork and birchbark basketry with elders. She puts her own twist on her baskets and containers with designs that tell of finding your own path, and depicting rainbows of color through quills, beads and ribbon. On one birchbark basket, she depicts her tribe's origin story with blue and red ribbon representing the men and women who came from the stars. In between those, she has other ribbons representing Two-Spirits who also came from the stars. She's realized the importance of being visible as an 2SLGBTQ+ elder for others who crave role models or someone to talk to. In Native culture, it's important for each person to find and share the gifts they have. 'What is that medicine and superpower each of us has in us?' she asks. For her, it's being able to collaborate with others. She uses her art and workshops to spark meaningful conversations and to connect with people. Kagigebi curated what may be the first show of its kind in the country. Called 'Queering Indigeneity,' it opens Sept. 18, 2025 at the Minnesota Museum of Art in St. Paul and runs through Aug.16, 2026. The exhibit brings together visual art, videos and other works from 16 Indigenous artists ages 20 to 73 from the Upper Midwest and Manitoba. Each explores identity and shares perspectives as Two Spirit, gender fluid or Native Queer creators. 'We're all meant to be different,' Kagigebi says. 'That's the joy.' Helping others feel less alone The connections and support can be vital, especially when processing experiences with homophobia, racism or both. Dahl-Wooley had moved to Oregon after college graduation, worked in a corporate career, fell in love and returned to northern Minnesota about 20 years ago to run his family's fifth-generation Big Winnie Store, RV Park and Campground At first, the move back was a shock. When they'd lived on the West Coast, medical staffs treated he and his partner, Matthew, like a couple, but when Dahl-Wooley ended up in a Bemidji emergency room, the staff wouldn't acknowledge them as such and weren't going to let Matthew, now his husband, be at his bedside when he was sick. Dahl-Wooley and Matthew were the first same-sex marriage sanctioned by the Ojibwe nation in 2013. That opened the door for other couples to follow. When he was asked to talk about his experience as a Two-Spirit person at a community center in Cass Lake, Dahl-Wooley was surprised that 30 people showed up. Invitations to talk to other groups followed, and he began speaking to health care organizations, law enforcement groups, schools and colleges, and other organizations to help them better understand and support the 2SLGBTQ+ population. The Trevor Project's 2023 report on Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ young people showed that more than half of them seriously considered suicide in the past year. Almost half have also experienced food insecurity and more than a third have experienced homelessness. 'My goal is suicide prevention, anti-bullying, no self-harm and cultural inclusion,' says Dahl-Wooley. He keeps a database of churches, therapists, health care providers and more who are welcoming to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. He'll schedule Queer Tea events where people can come to have tea, play games, talk and be themselves. They might discuss ways to stay safe or use humor to cope with traumas many have experienced. Additional events might include an art show or gender-affirmative wardrobe clothing drives. He recalled a teen calling him one day, crying with gratitude because he saw Dahl-Wooley and his husband together in the community, laughing and living normal lives, which gave him the ability to see a future for himself. He was also recognized in an Oregon grocery store line by a young man who had needed help and found a video of Dahl-Wooley giving one of his talks online. 'People are paying attention whether you realize it or not,' he says. 'Sometimes just a little difference can save a life.' Kagigebi and Dahl-Wooley each hope that more visible 2SLGBTQ+ elders and younger 2SLGBTQ+ people such as the artists in the upcoming exhibit will make it easier for others to find their way and to better embrace the unique gifts they bring to the world. 'I want the Two-Spirit population to know how important and powerful they are — just as they are,' Dahl-Wooley says. 'We're sacred. We're honored, and we're respected. A lot of people need to hear that.' More information Two Spirit Advocacy Dahl-Wooley shares his story across the country, works with businesses and organizations to be more welcoming to 2SLGBTQ people and hosts events in Bemidji such as Queer Tea. Queer Indigeneity This exhibit opens Sept. 18 at the Minnesota Museum of Art in St. Paul and features 16 Indigenous artists who identify as Two Spirit, queer or gender expansive, including Giiwedin, a young artist and activist who made GLAAD's 20 Under 20 list of changemakers presented in Teen Vogue. The show will run through early 2026.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store