TEMPE — The 36th annual Arizona State University Powwow was more than a celebration of song and dance, it was a space where generations of people gathered to invigorate shared culture, tell traditional stories and teach lessons and prayers that have survived for millennia.

This year’s powwow, held Friday through Sunday at ASU’s Desert Financial Arena, attracted students, visitors and dancers from across the country.

Drum groups representing different tribal nations circling the gym floor, regalia draped over the stadium chairs and the clinks of jingles on dresses all contributed to the lively atmosphere.

The powwow offered a space where students feel welcome and empowered. Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, and 1.06% of undergraduate students identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, according to an Arizona Board of Regents fiscal year 2023 report.

Marshall Baker, an ASU student, powwow dancer and former Cronkite News reporter, is Navajo, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Chippewa and Cree. He is a grass dancer, which he says has been an honor to carry on in his family.

“I’ve been powwowing since before I could walk,” Baker said. “My dad dances. He’s been dancing his entire life. My grandpa has been dancing his entire life. So it’s been a multigenerational thing in my family.”

The powwow helps bridge physical and cultural connection for Natives in urban areas and students living away from family and tribal lands.

“It always makes me feel connected to that side because I grew up in the city, as well. Being able to go out and powwow and dress in my regalia and hear the songs and everything, it really helps me feel connected,” Baker said.

Native culture is rooted in long-standing traditions that can be difficult to connect with, as political erasures, geographic separations and a lack of knowledge stand as barriers. The powwow is as an opportunity for attendees to come together, celebrate each other and their ancestry, and honor their cultures through traditional dance and food. Vendors also sell turquoise, regalia, beaded jewelry and art – physical embodiments of the Native way of life.

“They always say, ‘Your outfit will take you far.’ That’s a teaching that comes up often, and it’s held true. … They say, ‘Take care of your outfit, your outfit will take care of you,’” Baker said.

Janelle Allen, ASU’s elder in residence and a member of the Navajo Diné and Cherokee nations, helps students cope with being away from their Native communities and transition to college life. She emphasizes the powwow as a living educational space that embodies statutes of respect, community and cultural teachings passed down through generations.

“I think the powwows give an opportunity for us to have a real, live classroom begin to happen,” Allen said. As students and alumni volunteer and participate in the powwows, she hopes they recognize the importance of listening to the people around them and sharing ideas.

Elders carry invaluable knowledge that is essential to the survival of Native practices. Their efforts are reflected through language revitalization and sharing ancient stories. But, Allen points out, this cultural connection is a two-way street.

“We are the carriers of knowledge … that ties to culture,” Allen said. “It’s one thing for an elder to speak and to teach, but it’s another thing for the youth to want to learn and to listen.”

One concern of tribal nations is language extinction. Some elders are the last speakers of their dialect, a tie to their ancestors. According to Interpreters and Translators Inc., approximately 167 Indigenous languages are spoken in the U.S., but only 20 of those languages are expected to endure through 2050.

Though Allen acknowledges the challenges to cultural continuity, she and others see a growing sense of empowerment among ASU’s Indigenous students.

Powwow organizer Tahnee Baker of the Apache and Navajo nations, who is an assistant teaching professor at ASU, took on the role after her father, Lee Williams, ran the event for many years. The family connection at ASU’s powwow now includes her son, Marshall.

“What’s unique to Indian communities is gaining and acquiring and relying on our elders … so those ways can continue on and not be lost and not be erased, essentially. I see that parallel in the powwow,” Tahnee Baker said.

Amid executive orders from President Donald Trump that targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs at publicly funded colleges, including ASU, there’s concern that funding cuts could further hinder efforts for Indigenous support. But the fight against erasure is not a new challenge for Native communities.

“The plan of erasure … has been happening to us over and over again,” Tahnee Baker said. “It’s just super important to continue to fill our toolboxes, right? We come to higher education institutions to acquire these different skills and knowledge sets and tools, which then we utilize and go back to our communities and help uplift our families and … tribal nations as a whole.”

Tahnee Baker sees a powerful relationship between academia and Indigenous culture. For her, celebrating heritage while thriving in an academic setting is crucial for future generations. The ASU Powwow has become a pillar of visibility for the university’s Indigenous students.

“Being able to celebrate who we are … and then using that as a way to strengthen what we’re doing in the space of academia. They really work together, hand in hand, and acknowledging that, and providing a space to celebrate both is really important for our students here,” Tahnee Baker said.

As it has grown in size and popularity, the powwow has moved to various locations on ASU’s campus. Tahnee Baker said many volunteers and employees for Indigenous events are current Native students or alumni, reflecting a tight-knit community that continues to return to serve and learn.

Jalen James, a student and member of the Navajo Diné nation, said he is deeply passionate about serving his community and volunteering at the powwow. His desire to connect other Native peers with their elders and to meaningfully give back to his people drives him.

“I’ve always just wanted to help connect younger people with elders. … (After) last semester, I felt there was something missing from my personal life. I kept trying to find out what it was … and I realized doing something for my people, and the community felt right in a way,” said James, who is secretary of ASU’s Native American Business Organization and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.

For James, the sense of belonging and unity at the powwow is tangible. It helps him stay connected to tradition and culture.

“You can feel it in the air, there’s a sense of belonging for everybody here, and there’s a sense of connectedness, unity. … That’s what’s going to keep the next generation in tune with traditional values,” James said. “Since we’re a minority, we have to continue to stay united against a terrifying time, especially for our country. I feel it’s important to have people that support you and people that uplift you.”

As a Native and LGBTQ first-year student, James recognizes the challenges of holding dual identities, especially these communities feel vulnerable.

“I am so terrified of what comes next, especially because it’s my first year. I don’t want my next three years to be living in fear of my rights being stripped away. … Having those two identities with me is scary, especially in this presidency. I’m guilty of sitting back and watching things happen,” James said. “I’m trying to stand up for what’s right.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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Note: This story originally appeared on Cronkite News. It is published via a Creative Commons license. Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

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