SPOKANE, Wash. — The roots of Native American culture run deep in the Inland Northwest and that clearly showed at the Spokane Convention Center. Hundreds of tribal community members came together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Expo '74.
More than 400 members from nearly a dozen tribes gathered in Spokane for the Pow-Wow at the Falls.
"A pow-wow for us is a time for people to come together," Bobbie White said.
White is the event's committee chair and says the pow-wow took months to plan.
White said, "It's an opportunity for people to come out here and express themselves when they're dancing."
Tribal members came from across the country.
"This is true success because people are laughing, they're having fun, the power of the drum is sacred," Wyoming resident George Abeyta said.
Abeyta now lives in Wyoming but originally called Spokane home.
"There's a lot of native people in this area," Abeyta said. "It's one of the urban city centers for native people."
The pow-wow featured two grand entrances each day. More than 40 tribal vendors and businesses also set up shop at the event.
"A lot of my work has taken initially taking the culture and putting it into a cartoon space," artist Vernon Ketchup said.
Ketchup comes from the Yakima Valley. He's just starting his art business but he says he couldn't pass up the chance of showcasing his work at the pow-wow.
"I felt like it kind of sits with people more when they see a physical thing," Ketchup said. "So events like this are really important for artists."
White says this pow-wow's especially significant, when looking at the history of the 1974 World's Fair. She hopes the pow-wow reminds people living in the Inland Northwest the tribes remain a major part of the community.
White said, "It's a good opportunity for people talking about what again, we're still here and we're resilient."
White says more tribal related events in downtown Spokane are planned throughout the Expo '74 50th anniversary celebration.
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