Global Courant 2023-04-28 17:02:18
Tens of thousands of people gather in New Mexico for what organizers are billing as the largest powwow in North America.
The annual Gathering of Nations kicks off Friday with a colorful procession of Native American and Indigenous dancers from around the world moving to the beat of traditional drums as they fill an arena at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds.
The dancers slowly make their way to the center of the room one by one, making for a spectacular display.
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This marks the 40th year for the gathering, which has grown from humble beginnings in 1983 to a grand celebration with Indigenous people demonstrating their cultures through dance and song competitions.
Spectators will have the chance to see the contestants’ feathered bustles, buckskin dresses, pretty shawls, and beaded headpieces and hairpieces. Many of the dancers’ elaborate outfits are detailed with hand-stitched designs.
Dancers participate in the annual Gathering of Nations powwow on April 29, 2022 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Roberto E. Rosales/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)
Most of the dancers at the Gathering of Nations compete for prize money.
More than two dozen contestants from the US and Canada are also competing for the title of Miss Indian World. The winner will be crowned on the last night of the powwow and will serve as a cultural ambassador for the following year as she travels to events and other powwows.
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Several hundred Native American tribes in the United States and First Nations in Canada are represented at the gathering, which has become Albuquerque’s second largest annual festival, raising more than $20 million each year for the local economy.
Organizers held virtual meetings in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. This is the second in-person meeting since public health rules were relaxed.