New Releases

July 11th - 13th

For our next Powwow in

2008

Powwow History

The earliest known intertribal powwow was the Ponca Powwow, which began in 1879 in Indian Territory, according to Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa), the NMAI National Powwow cultural advisor. "Indian Territory was truly intertribal," Zotigh says. "Sixty-seven tribes were removed from their original homelands and placed in what was to become the state of Oklahoma. At the Ponca Powwow, many tribal members traveled more than 100 miles to participate in the intertribal singing and dancing."
Later, powwows such as the Dietrich Lake Powwow, which began in 1920 in southwestern Oklahoma, were established by other Plains tribes. As powwows spread throughout Indian Country during the early 20th century, northern tribes established gatherings such as Crow Fair in Montana and the United Tribes Technical College Powwow in North Dakota. Both powwows, among others around the northern Plains and Great Lakes regions, are still celebrated annually with thousands of attendees from across the country. The East Coast added major stops on the powwow highway late in the 20th century, including Schemitzun and Mohegan Sun Powwows in Connecticut.
The majority of powwow activities have their origins in the ceremonial war dances of the Great Plains. The Inlonshka ceremony of the Osage, Ponca, and Kaw, as well as the Omaha's Hethuska and the Pawnee's Iruska ceremonies, which are still practiced today, form the structural basis upon which a powwow is built. Many of the head staff positions in the powwow arena, primarily instituted during the 1950s, are direct outgrowths of the ceremonial offices held by warriors. A powwow's head singer, emcee, arena director, and head man dancer, for instance, are direct descendants of official positions in the Inlonshka and other ceremonies.

Veterans Honor (Powwow's Healing Circle).

Contributors & Sponsors Recognition Page Link

Sponsor Recognition and Thank You

This is a reprint from the Fairbanks Daily News Miner

Click here for a pdf copy or on the above Graphic

Click here for a pdf of this Camping notice

Be sure to visit the Powwow Council’s Information Tent for more information about our organization, this year’s participants, our sponsors, and facts about powwows.
Join us in working to ensure the continued success of our powwow. You can become a member. Volunteer your time and services. Attend our monthly planning meetings.
Help us raise the funds needed to host this event each year. Our annual fundraising efforts include writing grants, soliciting donations and corporate sponsorships, a raffle and/or silent auction plus merchandise sales. We have t-shirts for sale in a variety of colors this year. Quantities are limited. Be sure to stop by our booth while supplies last.

2008 MSIPC RAFFLE PRIZES and/or SILENT AUCTION ITEMS:
Our 2008 GRAND PRIZE (Courtesy of Frontier Flying Service)
(2) Tickets to any location served by Frontier Flying Service
2 Day Canoe Trip for 2 People - $470 Value (Courtesy of Alaska Dream Adventures)
Pendleton Blanket - $175 Value (Courtesy of Prospector Outfitters)
(2) Tickets for Riverboat Discovery - $100 Value
MSIPC Dance Shawl - $100 Value (Courtesy of Tonya Esmailka)
(2) Tickets for El Dorado Gold Mine -

VISIT the MSIPC Information Tent to purchase raffle tickets, bid on Silent Auction items, and see
additional prizes.

The Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow Council

is organized exclusively to bring together

Alaska Natives, American Indians, and First Nations People of Canada in a powwow setting to share similarities and diversities, to honor the elders, and children, and to educate the general public of the heritage of the indigenous people of North America.