By Rachel Spacek
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Clad in beads, feathers and bells, dancers of all ages dance through the arena -
The “Graceful Shawl” is a dance where women dance with their shawls open to represent the wings of a butterfly -
Dancers of all ages join together in the opening dance -
A competitive dance followed the opening ceremony -
Women equipped with woven handbags and feathers waltz through the arena -
Young women learn dances and culture from their family members -
Men dance alongside each other -
Brightly colored feathers dance through the crowd -
Women wearing jingle dresses dance to the Native American national anthem -
Young dancers dance alongside more experienced dancers -
Beads from dancers rattle along with the drum beat -
Women dancers dance gracefully into the school campus -
Handmade jewelry is for sale to Powwow guests -
Blankets, trinkets and jewelry from local artists are for sale -
Indian tacos and fry bread are popular eats at the Powwow
Feathers, beads and bells danced through the Stewart Indian School campus in Carson City for family and friends this Father’s Day weekend. The Stewart Father’s Day Powwow displayed outstanding dancers, traditional food and local vendors. The weekend long celebration began Friday and will continue until Sunday.
The 2015 powwow is hosted by the Nevada Indian Commission and the Stewart Father’s Day Powwow Committee who bring together Native American gifts, dance and food for the community to share. Alumni of the school, family, friends and former employees gathered on the school campus to reminisce, eat, chat, shop and enjoy the performances.
The Stewart Indian School was an off-reservation boarding facility for Native Americans from 1890 through 1980. The school was closed and vacated. The buildings housed state offices and officials. Today the school is on the National Register of Historic Places and is comprised of 83 buildings. New legislation allows for a gift fund to receive donations and designates the Indian Commission as the coordinating agency for future uses and activities at the site.
The Father’s Day powwow is part of an effort to preserve, protect and establish the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center to preserve it’s history.Today the campus includes an self-guided walking tour throughout the site with posted information signs throughout the tour.
The Stewart Indian School represents a large part of Native American and state history. With the establishment of the cultural center, this part of history will be available to generations to come and will be a place where young people and visitors can learn about their history and the states history.
