Gathering of Nations facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gathering of Nations |
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Gathering of Nations, Albuquerque, NM - April 2007
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| Genre | Pow wow |
| Dates | Held annually in April |
| Location(s) | Expo New Mexico 300 San Pedro NE Albuquerque, NM 87108 |
| Years active | Since 1983, at the University of New Mexico |
| Attendance | Over 105,000 (2023) |
| Website | Official website: https://www.gatheringofnations.com/ |
The Gathering of Nations is the largest pow-wow in the United States and North America. A pow-wow is a special gathering where Native American and Indigenous people celebrate their culture through dancing, singing, and sharing traditions. This big event happens every year in April at Expo NM in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
More than 565 different tribes from the United States and 220 from Canada come to Albuquerque to take part. Tens of thousands of visitors also attend each year. The Gathering of Nations is very important for the local economy, bringing in about $24 million for Albuquerque in 2019. The event also creates nearly 300 jobs during the time it is held. The company that organizes this yearly pow-wow is called Gathering of Nations, Ltd.
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Exciting Competitions at the Pow-wow
Dance Competitions
Dance is a very important part of the Gathering of Nations. There are dance competitions in 36 different categories. These categories include different age groups like Elders (70 years and older), Golden Age (55 years and older), Adults (19 years and older), Teens, and Tiny Tots (young children). Thousands of dancers compete each year.
A highlight of the pow-wow is the Grand Entry. This is when thousands of dancers, dressed in their beautiful traditional outfits called regalia, enter the pow-wow arena all at once. It's a truly amazing sight!
Drum Group and Drummer Contests
Drum groups and individual drummers also compete at the Gathering of Nations. There are two main types of drum competitions: northern drums and southern drums. These groups have different styles of beats and rhythms.
Horse and Rider Regalia Parade
Since 2018, the Gathering of Nations has featured a special Horse and Rider Regalia Parade. This parade shows off traditional clothing worn by riders and honors the important role horses play in many tribal cultures. Riders also get to show how skilled they are at handling their horses.
Competitors can enter in categories for women, men, and a "Best in Show" award. Winners receive prizes like money and a special embroidered horse blanket. Sisters Dustina and Leela Abrahamson help organize this parade, which takes place on Friday and Saturday during the pow-wow.
Miss Indian World Pageant
Each year, a pageant is held to choose Miss Indian World. The winner is selected based on her personality, her knowledge of tribal traditions, and her dancing skills. In 2024, Kassie John from the Navajo Nation was crowned Miss Indian World. She represents Indigenous people and cultures throughout the year.
Singing Contests
Singing is another key part of the pow-wow, with several competitions for singers. These include contests for Northern Singers, Southern Singers, and Women's Back-Up Singing.
Indian Traders Market: A Place to Explore
The Indian Traders Market is a huge marketplace at the Gathering of Nations. Here, artists, crafters, and traders sell beautiful Native American and Indigenous arts and crafts. You can find amazing jewelry made by silversmiths and bead workers. In 2010, there were about 800 artists, crafters, and sellers at the Indian Traders Market, offering a wide variety of unique items.
The Story of the Gathering of Nations
The Gathering of Nations was started by a person named Derek Matthews.
Over the years, the Gathering of Nations has been held at different places in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From at least 1990 through 2016, it was often held at the University of New Mexico, usually at the UNM Arena (also known as The Pit). In 2010, it was even held at the football stadium.
In May 2017, the Gathering of Nations, Limited, decided to move the event from the University of New Mexico. This change not only affected where the pow-wow would be held but also ended the Gathering of Nations Scholarship Fund. This fund used some of the money earned at the pow-wow to help students pay for college at the University. The scholarship had helped over 100 students for 27 years. Since 2017, the pow-wow has been held at Tingley Coliseum on the EXPO New Mexico grounds.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of the 2020 event changed from an in-person gathering to one that streamed videos online. This was done to follow safety rules. The pow-wow was also held virtually in 2021. However, in 2022, the event returned to being held in person.
How the Pow-wow Supports Important Causes
The Gathering of Nations has often been a place where important ideas and social movements are shared.
In 1991, Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills and Donny Belcourt, who was a top runner, talked about creating a separate American Indian Olympic team. An organization called Unite Now Indian Olympic Nation, or UNION, is working towards this goal. At the 1992 Gathering of Nations, a special event honored ten Native athletes who had competed in the Olympics, including famous names like Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills.
During the 2000 pow-wow, money was raised to help actor and stunt double Running Deer get a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. This recognized his achievements.
In 2004, after the music group OutKast performed their song "Hey Ya!" at the Grammy Awards, the Native American musical artist Litefoot invited André 3000 (from OutKast) to attend the Gathering of Nations. This invitation was a way to encourage better understanding and respectful representation of Native Americans in popular culture.
At the 2019 pow-wow, the Gathering of Nations worked together with Miss Indian World and Congresswoman Deb Haaland. They announced their shared focus on raising awareness about the importance of safety and protection for Indigenous women and girls. This partnership helped bring more attention to this very important issue.
Music Beyond Competitions
Stage 49: Contemporary Music Venue
In 2008, Stage 49 was created as a special place at the Gathering of Nations for contemporary music. Stage 49 hosts Indigenous traditional and modern artists. They perform many different types of music, including Rock, Blues, Reggae, and Hip Hop. Many artists have played here, such as Kevens, the Levi Platero Band, One Way Sky, and Doc Native.
Electric 49 Concert
The Electric 49 was an annual concert that featured Native American music at the Pow-wow. The group Red Earth started this concert in 1998, and it was held for eight years. Since 2006, the concert has not taken place. The Electric 49 aimed to highlight talented Native American musicians from all over the Americas. It focused on showing off modern Native music.
Over the years, the Electric 49 featured artists like Lil Dre, Red Earth, Robert Mirabal, and many others. The performers came from various music styles, including Heavy metal, Reggae, Blues, and Hip hop, showing the wide range of contemporary Native music.
Award-Winning Music Album
The music album from the 2010 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow, called A Spirit's Dance, won a Grammy award. This album, produced by SOAR records owner Tom Bee, won for Best Native American music album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. This shows the high quality of music celebrated at the event.
See also
