WEATHER UPDATE (April 9 — 10 a.m.): Location moved to Parking Lot 20 due to rain (on Barstow Avenue just east of Cedar). bit.ly/FSN-PowwowMoved
Fresno State will celebrate the traditions of Native American culture at the 25th Annual First Nations Powwow from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at O’Neill Park (Barstow at Woodrow Avenue).
The free public event, hosted by First Nations American Indian Student Organization, features American Indian drum groups and singing, dancing and other traditional activities. Guests can also enjoy Native American arts and craft vendors, and food vendors.
Festivities begin at 11 a.m. with a performance of the Gourd Dance — the ceremony signifying the start of a pow wow.
At 12:30 p.m., the American Indian Veterans Association will post colors to begin the grand entry procession.
Fresno State recruits students through its American Indian Recruitment and Resource Initiative with Outreach counselor Katie Garcia of the Chukchansi tribe who is also coordinator of the Cross Cultural and Gender Center’s American Indian Programming component.
For more information, contact Dr. Ken Hansen at 559.278.2260 or kennethh@csufresno.edu, and Brandy Jaramillo at 559.974.3777 or branbran77@mail.fresnostate.edu.
For information about enrolling, contact Garcia at at 559-278-4430.
(Copy by Erika Denise Castañon, University Communications news assistant).
25th First Nations Fresno State Pow Wow Schedule
- 12:45 p.m.-Opening prayer and welcoming remarks
- 1-5 p.m.- Contest and exhibition intertribal dancing; raffles every half-hour
- 5 p.m.-Dinner, raffle off TV; native flute – Martín Gonzalez; Aztec dancers Yozaltepetl (Heart of the Village)
Second Session
- 6 p.m. Gourd dance
- 7 p.m. Grand re-entry and opening prayer
- 7 p.m. Contest and exhibition intertribal dancing; raffles every half-hour
- 9 p.m. Raffle second TV; closing ceremony and retire colors,led by the American Indian Veterans Association; contest dancing awards
