By Miriam Raftery
The Alpine Sun
 

     DEHESA — Thousands of people from throughout North America converged at Sycuan Reservation over the weekend for the 18th annual Traditional Gathering and Annual Pow Wow.
     “We have hundreds of dancers from at least 50 different tribes all over the U.S. and Canada,” said Chamese LaChappa, co-coordinator of the 18th annual event hosted by the Sycuan band of the Kumeyaay Nation.
     Drumbeats and gourd rattles provided rhythmic accompaniment as Native American dancers competed for $100,000 in total prize money in categories that included traditional, fancy and grass dancing, bird dancing and bird singing, gourd dancing, drum/singing and hand drum contests, as well as separate divisions for juniors, teens, and seniors.
     Last year’s pow-wow drew an estimated 5,000 participants and spectators. But this year, an increase in prize money offered by Sycuan helped boost turnout dramatically. Though no estimates of turn-out were available, four parking lots were packed throughout the three-day non-profit event. Free to the public, the pow-wow derives proceeds from contest entrants which are given back as prize money to the dancers.
     In addition to watching the competitions, visitors also enjoyed sampling Native American foods such as fry bread (served plain, topped with strawberries and powdered sugar, or as a base for Indian tacos.) Vendors offered Native American items ranging from traditional woven baskets to hand-painted gourds, carved flutes, jewelry, and CDs by Native American musicians.
     “It was really fun this year,” said Sycuan chairman Danny Tucker. “There were a lot of dancers and a lot of spectators, which was great.”
     Each dance tells a story and has its roots in ancient tradition. A grass dance, for example, was held to flatten out grasslands to create a pow-wow grounds, one young grass dancer explained.
     Styles of dancing and attire varied from region to region. “There are different types of singing,” added Tucker. “We call our culture bird singers.”
     Women of the Southwest region wore brightly-hued skirts and danced in soft, swaying motions. Plains Indians used large drums, elaborate headgear, and traditional costumes comprised of buckskin, bone and feathers in exuberant performances. “I have 75 golden eagle feathers,” one traditionally-garbed dancer proclaimed with pride.
     A highlight of the event was Saturday’s grand entry, led by Paiute tribal elder Philip Galvan, an El Cajon resident, and movie star Saginaw Grant, a member of the Sac-n-Fox, Iowa and Otoe-Missouri Nation.
     Grant has starred in feature films including Dreamer, Skinwalkers, Devil’s Cove, Grey Owl, Small Time and War Party. The actor also had a regular TV role on Harts of the West and guest-starred in the TV series Picket Fences, Baywatch, Nash Bridges, The Indiana Jones Chronicles, and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
     “Philip was carrying my staff,” revealed Tucker, who customarily leads the honorary procession. “We had a death here and I am not allowed to carry the staff for the year. It is quite an honor to carry the staff for a sovereign nation.”
     The tribal chairman recalls Sycuan’s first pow-wow 18 years ago. “It was small and really kind of fun,” he reminisced. “After that it grew and grew.” Today, Sycuan’s pow-wow ranks among the largest in the Southwestern United States.
     Despite the fanfare and prizes, however, for Tucker the best of part of hosting a pow-wow is much like the sentiment behind any family reunion.
     “A pow-wow is mostly just people getting together,” he concluded, “saying hi to new friends and old friends.”