Glasco said that at the time, San Diego Indian Center President Wilbur Solomon of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska had wanted to organize a powwow to bring a greater sense of community to Indigenous people in the region.
To help celebrate the 50th anniversary milestone, the tribe will also host its first-ever 5K fun run Saturday morning.īarona’s annual powwow was established in the early 1970s by a group of Indigenous leaders in San Diego, including Glasco’s father, Albert “Boxie” Phoenix. Throughout the weekend, special contests will be held for men’s fancy dance, switch dance (where dancers emulate the style of the opposite gender) and team dance categories.įor drummers, there will also be a 49-drum contest after the Saturday evening dance session, as well as a hand drum contest.
They’ll also see groups sitting around large drums made from wood and leather, which singers beat simultaneously, representing the community’s heartbeat. Powwow visitors will be able to see Indigenous people from all over compete in dance contests, try traditional foods and shop from vendors who make jewelry and other wares. This Labor Day weekend, she and the tribe will celebrate 50 years of hosting the free, annual powwow, which Glasco said is the main event bringing tribal members and people from elsewhere in the region together each year.
