After finally winning College approval to hold the Pow-wow on the Green, Native Americans at Dartmouth were forced to hold this year's 25th anniversary event inside Thompson Arena due to Saturday's rain.
And although fewer people than expected attended the event, organizers still called the magnificent display of Native American culture a success.
No matter how many people came, "we never doubted it would be a success," said Anna Tsouhlarakis '99, a member of the Pow-wow committee.
This year's event fell short of its 2,000 spectator prediction, with about 1,000 people in attendance on Saturday and Sunday.
Despite a clearing of the weather on Sunday, organizers could not move the Pow-wow back to the Green.
"It was either going to be one or the other, there were too many things to be moved from Thompson," said Russell Kalstrom '00, who performed a Hawaiian Kahiko dance with three others.
Far fewer people attended Sunday than Saturday. The event has been a two-day event since 1995, but the poor location of this year's celebration reduced the number of people sharply, especially on the second day.
The advantage of having the Pow-wow on the Green is that more Dartmouth students become involved, providing better exposure of Native American culture to the entire Dartmouth community -- a principal goal of the event.
"After pushing to get it [on the Green] last year, it was unfortunate. The important thing, though, is that the right to be on the Green has been granted," said Case Dorkey '99, who was integral in convincing administrators to move the Pow-wow to the more central location.
But even without the expected turnout, the two-day Pow-wow ran smoothly and according to schedule.
Lined with vendors selling traditional native clothes and foods, Thompson Arena was converted into a mecca for those fascinated by Native American traditions.
Among other events, the dance competition exhibited talented performers who displayed their style to a responsive crowd.
From around the country came drummers as well, representing many different tribes and regions including the Eagle Bear Singers from Washington state and Southern Slam from New Mexico.
Many Dartmouth students were involved in organizing and competing, which made the Pow-wow very special to many NAD members and campus Hawaiians.
Ty Tengan '97 provided a Kahiko solo dance which many considered one of the best performances of the Pow-wow.
Organizer Kimberly Jorgensen '00, an Alaskan native who had never been to a Pow-wow previously, felt the best part of the celebration was meeting different Native Americans from across the country.
"It was rewarding to meet NAD alumni, and I also got to meet another Alaskan native, so it was a lot of fun," said Jorgensen.
While the mood was for the most part festive, a memorial for Michael Dorris, founder of the Native American Studies Program at Dartmouth, added a somber note to the celebration.
