Arlee Celebration unites cultures
“We all respect each other’s beliefs though we don’t believe the same things. Respect is something everyone values.” Naomi Billedeaux, Ronan
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To an outsider who steps in for a few moments to see a pretty dance contest, the Arlee Celebration likely seems like a flashy display or show, but the 117-year old tradition is not just about fancy footwork, impeccably crafted regalia, and beautiful songs floating on the wind.
Talking to people off the dance floor reveals that the celebration is about something much deeper: connecting with culture and family and honoring and respecting fellow men and women despite cultural differences. This year’s event wrapped up July 5.
People come to the powwow — renamed the Salish word for “celebration” Esyapqeyni this year — by many different routes. Licenses plates from across the United States and Canada could be seen on the powwow grounds.
Three-year-old twins Trinity and Davianna Madera have been coming to the celebration every summer of their lives. They girls are from Spokane.
“We come here every year,” the twin’s mom Tomi Simpson said. “They dance. Their dad dances. I am usually too busy doing work though.”
Simpson said the powwow is like many others, though this year’s unique Snake Dance entry and unusually warm weather will stand out in memory.
Nearby, in a sea of tipis and tents, 10-year-old Alaina Spoonhunter made her way back to where her mother, who wished not to be identified, was working on securing eagle feathers into her mother’s headdress.
Spoonhunter explained that this is what moms do during powwow downtime, fix outfits. Spoonhunter was dripping wet after dip in the creek.
The 10-year-old is quick to say how much she likes fancy shawl dancing and was willing to invite everyone to the Blackfeet Powwow held the upcoming weekend in her Browning home venue, but she is humble and neglects a few of the finer details about her dance prowess.
Spoonhunter is the world champion in her dance category, her mother explains.
“She danced in the womb,” her mom says. “She comes from generations of champion dancers.”
Not everyone is from far away. Most of the people camped on the powwow grounds are members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and for them, the event is not just a place to dance, it is a place to camp and experience culture as a community.
Naomi Billedeaux, from Ronan, has been coming to the celebration for more than 30 years. She introduces herself as the daughter of her parents Durreta Matt Salois and Dwight Billedeaux, and grandparents.
Here, family and culture means everything.
“I love coming because it is a way from me to connect with my community and culture,” Billedeaux said. “Powwow is not traditional but it is cultural.”
She explains that many families have been camping in the same area of the campgrounds for decades. It is known that that ground is designated for that family.
But Billedeaux said it is also important to take the opportunity to share culture with non-natives and recognize that native culture is not monolithic. It is diverse.
“A lot of people here come from different tribes and they bring their own set of beliefs and culture,” Billedeaux said. “We all respect each other’s beliefs though we don’t believe the same things. Respect is something everyone values. We are careful where we sit. We are careful who we talk to … In some tribes there are different gender roles, and so I think it’s just important to be respectful. The worst thing to do is to offend someone. For me, as a host, we want everyone to have a good time. We try to be friendly and giving.”
