KU powwow draws thousands for celebration of Native American culture

The 37th KU powwow kicked off Saturday with frybread and fancy dancing as thousands gathered for the annual celebration.

A powwow is a Native American celebration featuring dancing, singing, and the honoring of traditions and elders of the community.

This year’s event moved indoors due to a high chance of rain. Despite the overcast, the Lied Center, which hosted the event, was packed.  

“These are places where people gather and celebrate, and talk and laugh and share history and share stories and share traditions,” Jancita Warrington, the coordinator of the powwow, said.

The main event of the day was the dance circle and its adjoining contest. Multiple dances took place with top contestants receiving awards.

The powwow also featured multiple local vendors selling handmade items. Frybread and Navajo tacos were available for the hungrier attendees.

Native filmmaker Blackhorse Lowe presented one of his recent works and talked about what the powwow means to him.

“Seeing other native brothers and sisters and kind of enjoying their company, and really kind of just you know, to celebrate life, dance, and art, and everything else. So it’s always a beautiful experience,” Lowe said.

Warrington said she hopes the KU powwow and events like it serve as places of learning and community building.

“They gain this, I hope, a deeper appreciation for the culture. And that will always help us to just dispel stereotypes, to come together as a community, and to appreciate all cultures that make Lawrence unique,” Warrington said.

Watch the segment here: