CSB hosts powwow celebration

This past Saturday, St. Ben’s hosted its first Ptanyetu powwow, an annual tradition initiated in the spring of 1994 by the American Indian Center at St. Cloud State University.

The powwow, in its 27th year, is a celebration and gathering of Native nation communities located in Minnesota and beyond. In addition to reuniting Native communities, powwows provide a chance for others to enjoy the event while learning about the history and enduring tradition of Indigenous culture.

CSB+SJU became involved as a co-sponsor of the powwow in 2019, along with the St. Cloud school district and St. Cloud Technical and Community College. All the co-sponsors, in addition to St. Cloud State University, will continue to take turns hosting the powwow each fall.

The Ptanyetu powwow, named after the Dakota word for fall, began at 1 p.m. in the Haehn Campus Center with the Grand Entry. The Grand Entry saw 500 people in attendance, packed around the main arena and filling the fieldhouse. During the Grand Entry, the eagle staff, United States flag and tribal flags are brought into the arena, followed by dignitaries and dancers. The dancers and dignitaries circle the arena to the beat played by the drum groups situated in the center.

This year’s powwow featured five drum groups and 50 dancers in traditional regalia.

Ted Gordon, director of the Initiative for Native Relations and the representative of CSB+SJU on the powwow committee, expressed excitement to see such a big turnout. Gordon has played a big role in increasing visibility and awareness for the Indigenous communities on and around campus, as well as for the institution’s history of operating Native boarding schools.

“Hosting the powwow is a small but important step toward empowering Indigenous communities and helping everyone in the CSB and SJU communities know that Indigenous communities are alive and well and their cultures are worth celebrating,” Gordon said.

In addition to Gordon, other faculty members have been instrumental for creating awareness and value for Indigenous students. During the second Grand Entry at 6 p.m., Dead on Admissions Cory Piper and Director of the Multicultural Center Malik Stewart were honored in a blanketing ceremony. Blanket ceremonies are important symbols of respect for Indigenous communities.

Beyond watching the Grand Entry, event attendees could browse clothing, jewelry and more from vendors; enjoy fare from food trucks; watch a hand drumming competition; and win giveaways.

CSB junior Emily Tess said that the powwow was an opportunity to experience a different culture.

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to attend the powwow because it was a new experience for me. I appreciated the chance to be able to see inside someone’s culture. You could tell that all the dancers were extremely proud of their heritage and liked being able to show people something that they had worked hard on,” Tess said. “It was cool to see how they gave new life to ancient traditions and performed ancestral dances while also keeping the audience involved.”

Taylor Radaich, a CSB first-year, attended the powwow with several friends.

“A lot of people say that something they wished they would have taken advantage of in college were all of the experiences and events that are available to students on campus. I went because I had never been to a powwow before, and I was interested in learning more about the culture and history of this tradition,” Radaich said. “I thought it was really powerful, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to experience this.”