Ever been to a Native American Pow Wow? You can this weekend and it’s right here on campus. The 26th annual Pow Wow, a celebration of American Indian cultures, will be held Saturday, April 9, starting at 10:00 a.m. in the Field House. The theme of this year’s Pow Wow is “Honoring Our Language to Strengthen Our Future.”

Joe Masters, MSW ’13 (Biidwewiigun Mukwa, Thunder Bear), says language is an essential part of Native American cultural identity. In this video, he sings a native song — an invitation to dance.

Hosted by the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at the Brown School, the event is free and open to the public. Visitors and participants at the Pow Wow will be able to enjoy dancing, singing, drumming, arts, crafts and food. Grand entries will take place at noon and 6 p.m. Traditional arts and crafts booths, and community information booths, open at 10 a.m. Click here for more info.

Link to more events this weekend recommended by the staff of Student Life.

Image: Participants in the 2007 Buder Center Pow Wow held in the Washington University in St. Louis Fieldhouse, by Joe Angeles, WUSTL Photo Services