Steady, defined, drum beats mingle with the sound of jingling dancers’ bells. Singing fills the ears of passersby. Crowds looking at the craft vendors are followed by the smell of Indian tacos. Families are gathered around story-tellers.

These powwows, or tribe celebrations, have been a part of Native American culture for centuries. They can be used to commemorate certain dates and holidays, for spiritual renewal, or simply for an enjoyable time.

“I can’t stay away from them” sophomore Nakota Whiteowl said. “Its one of the only things we can hold on to.”

Whiteowl has a deep connection with the Native American culture.

“I’m 75% Native American,” White owl said. “My dad is Cherokee and my mom’s Lakota.”

There are several cultural differences between these two tribes, such as location, and frequency of powwows.

Still, the events and activities during these celebrations are generally the same. Usually a powwow will include: story telling, music and dancing, food, and craft vendors. Powwows can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and are open to anyone who wants to come.

“Its good way for other people to see the Native American culture,” Junior Karlee Wynn said. “For me, its mostly family.”

Wynn has participated in powwows since she was a child, and is apart of the Chickahominy tribe. One of her favorite things at powwows is Indian tacos.

“It’s like a normal taco, except the bread is fried kind of like a funnel cake.” Wynn said.

Another unique food often found at powwows are buffalo burgers.

Along with Indian tacos, Wynn also enjoys the dancing at powwows.

She used to participate in the Jingle dance, which gets its name from the “jingling” noise bells on the dancer’s outfits make.

These outfits are called regalia’s, and differ with every dance. Regalia’s are worn for cultural and spiritual reasons.

“It’s a way for us to revisit our ancestors,” Whiteowl said.

Accessories like headdresses and shawls are also worn. Shawls are most often worn by women who participate in the Butterfly dance, which is characterized by the flapping motion made with the shawls. The movements combined with the colorful shawls strike up the image of butterflies; thus the butterfly dance.

Before these two dances take place, the opening dance, or Grass dance, must occur first. The Grass dance was originally used to flatten the grass in order to make a suitable dancing area. Now this dance is performed more for tradition then actual necessity. This dance is performed by men, and the regalia are made from simple cloth.

One of the most prominent images that can be seen at a powwow is the eagle feather.

“The eagle feather is very special in Native American culture.” Whiteowl said. “It’s like a cross to a Christian. It shows you have honor.”

While eagle feathers are mostly used on headdresses, some tribes use them primarily for prayer.

“When you pray, the eagles take your prayers to God.” Sequoyah Fortune said.

Fortune and his family perform often for his Rappahannock tribe powwows. Together, they play huge drums made of wood and buffalo skins. Their songs vary in difficulty and can be as simple as a steady beat, to a complex rhythm. Either way the drums purpose is the same; to give the dancers something to dance to.

“We usually have a group of dancers from another state, and we play while they dance,” Fortune said.

The music and dancers give off a distinct feeling of celebration, one that has been part of the strong culture for hundreds and hundreds of years.