The Annual Pow Wow at CSUSB

By Anahi Galindo Camarillo

Searching up events in San Bernardino one night, I learned this city does nothing exciting. If I got lucky, there was an event happening in Ontario or Riverside. Still, either work, school, or the lack of gas money prevented me from going anywhere beyond a fifteen-minute drive. 

Since high school, I knew about the Pow Wows by San Manuel, but it always went over my head. A friendly Google search reminded me, “Hey!” The San Manuel was hosting their Pow Wows in September, which was really convenient. What turned into a rushed last-minute event for a class turned into a really fun morning and afternoon event two friends and I enjoyed on Sunday, September 21. 

What is a Pow Wow? Not many people are informed. I had learned during a school night event with Native American speakers and dancers. When entering the Pow Wow, there was a small setup with educational information for people who weren't familiar with the event to gather some information. The Pow Wow served two purposes, socializing and spirituality. While it was a fun reunion, it was also a space to reaffirm their culture and spiritual roots. 

Families had traveled all over the United States and Canada to be present at the event. The event began Friday, September 19, ending Sunday. The times varied for each day. Friday began at 6 pm and ended at midnight, while Sunday started at 11 am and ended at six. Saturday was their longest event, a combination of both days, 11 am to midnight. On Friday, the elders blessed the ground where the event was being held, as well as offering a prayer. Then followed birds singing and dancing, the grand entrance, and retreat colors. 

I found it rather saddening that it felt needed to send a message across that one should be mindful and respectful during the Pow Wow. Simply because their culture was unfamiliar, someone who chose to come experience someone's culture had to be reminded to be respectful. There was another reminder to ask permission to take photos or videos of the people and groups. It's a dehumanizing feeling to know people in the past did not value nor care to ask before pulling out their phones or cameras. I tried to be mindful while capturing the whole experience. Seeing that there were also reminders to not touch the clothing left a sour taste in my mouth. Wasn’t that common sense? It was taught in schools to always “keep your hands to yourself,” why did that rule all of a sudden disappear in events like these? 

The Grand Entry introduced every group participating. As a sign of respect, visitors were encouraged to stay standing. There was a precise order leading the entry were flag bearers (that I later learned were military veterans) carrying the "eagle staff," "host's tribal flag," United States and state flags, and the MIA-POW Flag. "Indian royalty" followed right after that consisted of elders, tribal and organizational leaders, princesses and other dignitaries. Head dancers and dancers in full regalia followed. Dancers were organized in a specific order: men, then women, then junior boys and junior women, then little boys and little girls.

I had much respect for each group there. The heat was agonizingly strong. I felt nauseous and lightheaded throughout the ceremony. I couldn't even imagine how they felt dancing for an hour in the bright sun. My friends and I loved seeing the children dancing; there was enthusiasm and care going into it. It was admirable seeing how they could handle the environment during the entry. 

As much as questions were welcomed, I felt rude approaching the dancers after performing to ask any questions. They were exhausted. I asked one man if I could talk to him. He was very polite about not wanting to talk, which was completely understandable. I wouldn't have the energy to answer a random nineteen-year-old's questions either. I was fortunate to have some vendors provide me with their time. 

Working in fast food and in an after-school program, I know how irritating it is to be bothered when you're trying to work. I was so grateful for the vendors who could offer me even five minutes of their time. One woman could only talk to me for literally less than five minutes. She told me she attended Pow Wows with the products of families and groups who couldn't travel. 

Another man I spoke to, I can only describe spoke in a man's tone. Incredibly kind but straight to the point. He sold a lot of stickers and shirts with pop culture mixed with indigenous culture. And that's exactly what he told me. He had this sticker of "chiefachu" and baby Yoda wearing a headdress. He also sold stickers about the missing sisters, highlighting awareness of the missing Native women from different groups. He also told me how he worked on a radio station called DAYBREAK STAR. I bought three stickers for five dollars.

Another man named Christopher Morris from the Navajo tribe sold baby Yoda plushies and handmade squish mellows. At a young age, his grandmother had taken him to Pow Wows. He saw how she would sell and interact with other vendors and groups, which made him want to connect to his culture more. I feel many children with parents who embrace their cultures encourage them to try to keep that culture going. Learning to sow sounded tedious and time-consuming, but it was really cool to hear how passionate he was about designing his own patterns, how everything was handmade, and how he included traditional and pop culture elements in his work. 

One woman gave me up to ten minutes of her time, which I was incredibly grateful she could provide. Before I approached her, I watched her make some bracelets similar to bracelets my father used to make in Mexico. She had a variety of jewelry, hair clips, pendants, toys, bags, and even some crystals. I bought a necklace from La Virgen de Guadalupe for twenty dollars. The necklace was beautiful. A handful of her products reminded me of my culture, which drew me to her. The woman was from Guatemala, from the Mayan tribe. She told me her booth took days to prepare since everything was handmade, including help she got from her children and husband. She taught her daughter how to make bracelets at the age of five. As her daughter learned more, she began to make her own patterns like her mother. If I had gotten paid in time, I would have bought more than a necklace. Her work was ravishing. She even provided an Instagram in case I wanted to purchase more in the future (@roxyhummingbird.)

If the heat hadn’t made me nauseous, I would have loved to try the frybread. Since we got there and from what I heard the days before, the frybread had incredibly long lines. My friends bought some for themselves, they said it was really delicious. It reminded one of my friends of a Mexican sweet treat called buñuelos by the way the food vendor had prepared it for her. 

I would attend again next year; I had an incredible time. Learning about the culture was the best part; I had some previous knowledge, but being able to learn even more was enjoyable. I hope more people go out of their way to experience this or any Pow Wow while being mindful and respectful as the Natives ask of us. It's very significant to keep in mind this isn't our culture, and it's a privilege to experience.