College powwow largest yet
Linda Sappington
People of all ages gather together and dance.
Nicole Tavenner
Cedar Hunt shows off her footwork in the Salish Kootenai College powwow.
Nicole Tavenner
Mother Chelsea Brave Rock examines her daughter, Cedar Hunt’s, headband.
Nicole Tavenner
Modern pop culture and traditionalism collide in the form of powwow regalia.
Nicole Tavenner
Young boys watch dancers.
Nicole Tavenner
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
Nicole Tavenner
Linda Sappington
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Linda Sappington
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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PABLO – Fancy footwork and beautiful music filled the air May 9 as a tiny committee of determined Salish Kootenai College students successfully managed to put on a celebration for the record books.
“This year the powwow was the biggest yet,” College Powwow Committee President Stormie Perdash said. “We had 150 dancers and 15 drums. I’m happy that there was a really good turnout this year.”
Among the dancers was 10-year-old Cedar Hunt, a St. Ignatius Elementary student.
“She and her sister started to dance when they were smaller, but she didn’t start taking it seriously until recently,” mother Chelsea Brave Rock said. “She practices every night. She dances before bed, three or four songs, but she just blew us out of the water, because she put all her moves into her dancing and we were like, whoa.”
Hunt, who dances in the youth jingle category, won a dance-off between other girls her age and then went on to compete against the winner of the older, teen category.
“She’s a totally different person on the floor. In everyday life she is really silly, but when she is on the dance floor she is really mature and focused,” Brave Rock said. “I think she will do very well as she gets older.”
For Brave Rock, the dance is a family affair, with her daughters dancing like she did when she was younger. Brave Rock makes the regalia for her girls, with the young ones helping pick the materials.
She said the family will be out on the powwow trail later this year, and hopes Cedar will do well.
“She’s on her way,” Brave Rock said.
In addition to beautiful dancing, an honor song was sung at the powwow to honor this year’s graduates of Salish Kootenai College, who will march across the stage in June.
