A thunderous, rhythmic roar of jingling bells and beating drums rumbled through University of New Mexico Arena on Friday as hundreds of Native American and indigenous dancers gathered for the start of powwow season.
The three-day Gathering of Nations, North America's largest powwow, drew more than 1,500 competitive dancers and tens of thousands of spectators from across the U.S. and parts of Canada and Mexico.
The festivities kicked off with dancers from Saskatchewan and a drum group from Quebec in acknowledgement of the ‘Idle No More’ movement that is sweeping across Indian Country.
‘It just brings the people together, just to reassure that we all need to stick together for the purpose and for the cause, that we can't forget who we are,’ said Larry Yazzie, one of the powwow's masters of ceremonies.
Idle No More has garnered a worldwide following through social media while reopening constitutional issues involving the relationship between the federal government and Native communities in the U.S. and Canada.
The movement began after indigenous groups protested a Canadian proposal that they said would threaten their self-governance and control of traditional land bases.
Rallies have been held in many U.S. communities over the past year, giving way to more awareness and a new generation of activism among Native Americans.
View the stunning images from the three-day Gathering of Nations powwow below.
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thank you so much for the photos. One day I would like to go if we are allowed.
awesome. 144,000 of the 12 Tribes Gathering to Jackson County Missouri 2015
great pic's.
mother would of loved this if she was still here on mother earth.
my mother loved coming to the pow-pow's in Ohio. laura zeidler
vous êtes plus que parfaits, merci pour toutes vos danses, vos chants ancestraux, vos costumes et couleurs si belles....Merci et que dure longtemps votre sagesse. NP de France
POWWOW = POWER..THE GATHERING AND COMING TOGETHER OF NATIVE NATIONS IS A POWERFUL PART OF THEIR ANCIENT CULTURE. IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THAT INVASION, COLONISATION AND GENOCIDE, MASS MURDERS, STOLEN GENERATIONS AND ASSIMILATION HAS NOT STOPPED THIS POWERFUL CULTURE....TRULY WONDERFUL!!!
Stunning! Heartening! This is what is needed! Thank you! MEF
Stunning! Heartening! This is what is needed! Thank you! MEF
Just Fantastic
the drumbeats that keep my heart going. Next year I will be there.
Wat een prachtige beelden, bedankt voor het delen. Je voelt de eenheid van het volk.
Hope to be there next year. Thank you for posting the photos!
marvelous and wonderful news. I will be drumming here in England this weekend and often dedicate my drumming to all Native Americans because you surely deserve.... blessings, xxx
We are talking serious FASHION and BEAUTY here! :) Thanks for the instant and lasting smile...
I wish there was a video. We used to have beautiful Pow Wows here but no more. I miss them.
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