By: Amanda Clarke Staff Writer
Western Oregon University celebrated its 23rd annual “Multicultural Student Union Pow Wow” with the theme “We Live By The Beat of Our Drums.”
A pow wow is a Native American cultural celebration that is conducted through song, dance, and food as a means to bring community together. Represented at the event were those of the Siletz and Grand Ronde tribes.
The pow wow allows Western students and the community to learn about the Native American culture. By witnessing and partaking in activities, students and people within the community are given a chance to experience the culture in a different perspective that perhaps they haven’t had before.
Although the Multicultural Student Union has been holding the event for 23 years, there have been other club sponsored pow wows held in the past. In 1937, the Eastern Oregon Club, which was composed of students from east of the Cascade Mountains, held a powwow at Western as well.
The Multicultural Student Union Pow Wow is held in order to allow students to experience traditions of the Native American community, which includes different forms of dancing, such as traditional dancing, grass dancing, and other categories.
“In my opinion with serving the Multicultural Student Union, it is important for anyone in the local community and Western to be educated on the Native American culture,” said Samantha Valdez, a member of the MSU and one of the co-coordinators for the pow wow.
The event hosts dancers, vendors who sell traditional Native American supplies, and drums. Every year, the event is open to everyone and includes a competition for people of all ages.
Raffle tickets were given out and amongst the prizes were paintings, a Pendleton blanket, and jewelry.
Contact the author at aclarke14@wou.edu.
