This past weekend the 32nd annual UCR Pow-wow took place on the Intermural field next to Falkirk. Beginning on Friday from 5-10 pm and concluding Saturday from11am-10pm, attendees were able watch traditional style Native American dances and listen to traditional “bird singing.” You could hear the beat of the drums and feel the energy from all the way down the street. The passionate cry in song was unmatched; if you closed your eyes you may have been able to transport yourself to a beautiful desert landscape.
At the pow-wow there were tents selling fresh large rounds of fried bread and “Native American tacos.” Also at the pow-wow there were many booths selling hand made jewelry that consisted of hundreds of tiny colorful beads strung together in Navajo type patterns. Talking to some of the booth owners, it was interesting to find out that the production of their products has always been an exclusively family effort. Just quickly glancing around, you could see a multitude of colors from dream catchers to leather bags with feathers, to hairpieces to exquisitely painted pottery. This was definitely an event I would recommend to anyone! If you missed out on this culture packed event you can always check it out next year, or there are also other pow-wows happening around the Inland Empire area coming soon. Below is a list of upcoming pow-wows in the area:
-“Pechanga” Temecula, CA: June 28-30
-“Barona” Lakeside, CA: August 23-24
-“Soboba” San Jincto, CA: September 20-22
(For more information you can call 619-445-2613)