BUTTE - An annual powwow is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend, and organizers are inviting the community to experience the music and dancing at the Butte Civic Center.
The powwow has changed hands many times over the years, but members of The Southwest Native Community Powwow say the spiritual celebration has been taking place in Butte since 1975.
"We invite the public. All nationalities!" says Peggy Falcon, one of the event organizers.
"The gathering of peoples is what we want. Come to the powwow. Enjoy the music. Enjoy the drums as we do, and the dancing is going to be spectacular."
The two-day powwow kicks off on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. and will feature nine dance categories taking place throughout the weekend, including men's grass dance. According to a flier for the event, the men's grass dance is noted as the oldest form of dancing originating from the Omaha Tribe.
Organizers of the powwow say dancers in this category typically wear colorful fringe and ribbons as they move in a fluid, graceful manner, as they dance to songs created specifically for this dance style.
Also featured will be women's Fancy Dance. Powwow organizers say this is a relatively new addition to the dance competition. The powwow flier says the dance dates back to the 1890's and features dancers wearing shawls that have replaced the blankets and buffalo robes that girls traditionally wore in public.
The powwow flier that is being sold for $3 and includes a raffle ticket for an array of baskets carrying donated goods from local businesses, states that in the late 30's and 40's, young women would show off the shawls they made by doing fancy footwork.
Other dance styles include women's traditional dance, men's fancy dance, women's jingle dress dance, men's chicken dance, round dance, and an intertribal dance.
Beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, the day kicks off with a walk to raise suicide awareness and bring attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People movement.
The Southwest Native Community Powwow is also raising money to support the free and family-friendly event with an Indian taco sale, a silent auction, and a raffle.
