CREDENTIALS FOR THE POWWOW REPORTS
NCNativeNews is pleased to present a new feature --The Powwow Report. The report will give basic statistical information of the event and include highlights and pluses as well as the down side and minuses. Our goal is to inform powwow participants and spectators, and readers in general, of the nature of specific powwows that we attend.
To head off the inevitable "Just who do you think you are?" question, please allow us to put forth a few credentials.
First, we have attended a majority of the 30 or so powwows held in North Carolina. We have helped organize both contest and non-contest powwows. We have organized both dance and drum group competitions and served as dance and drum competition judges at powwows in North Carolina and other states. We have attended and participated in powwows in East Coast states and Mid-Western states. We have seen and met some of the most notable dancers and drum groups in the country at some of Indian Country's largest powwows. We have also seen and met very good, but lesser known dancers and drums. We can say, with as much humility as we can muster, that we have "been there, seen that," and in some instances, "done that."
We will be up-front and say that we prefer non-contest powwows, but we do not think having dance and drum competition prevents a powwow from being a good one.