Chicago Powwow, November 11-13

The Chicago American Indian Center is holding its 52nd Annual Powwow November 11-13 at the UIC Pavilion (Harrison & Racine). There will be traditional music, dancing in regalia by about 500 dancers, food booths and over 60 arts and crafts vendors.

The doors open at 5 pm on Friday, 10 am on Saturday and Sunday, with grand entries of the dancers at 7 pm Friday, 1 pm and 7 pm Saturday, and 12 noon Sunday. Admission is $10 adults/$5 children and elders, or $18 for a weekend pass.

David Hammond wrote about the food at last year’s powwow here. This year the organizers invite attendees to “vote for the best frybread”!

I think I said last year that my favorite part of the powwow is actually the marketplace. Over the years I’ve gotten some nice things there, including an O’odham grass basket, a very cool Arapaho miniature buffalo shield, and some of my favorite pieces of jewelry. I’m particularly fond of the southwestern style of jewelry with geometric designs of inlaid turquoise, onyx, jet, and coral, and there are always a number of vendors who have traveled to Chicago from Arizona and New Mexico. Antonius and I usually add to our library with some book purchases, too. And in the realm of food, one can usually find items such as the red hominy mentioned in the linked post by David, pine nuts from the Southwest, and some small recipe collections.

For more information about the powwow, call the American Indian Center:

773-275-5871

Amata, thanks for posting about this (I figured it was coming soon because last year, my annual poker game at the Plumber's Union on Washington fell on the same day as the event -- and we're playing tomorrow).

I would be interested in knowing what the evaluation criteria might be for judging fry bread. My experience with it is very limited, but I liked it last year and would be eager to eat more.

I would also want to buy more of that red hominy -- I made it with a ham hock last year, and it's one of the few ways I've enjoyed hominy that has not come out of a can (I'm sorry to say).

annieb, I am going to buy one of those t-shirts this year.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:annieb, I am going to buy one of those t-shirts this year.

http://www.aztlan.net/homelandsecurity.htm

Amata wrote:The Chicago American Indian Center is holding its 52nd Annual Powwow November 11-13 at the UIC Pavilion (Harrison & Racine).

Amata,

Thanks for the heads up on the Powwow, I was unable to attend last year and don't want to miss the festivities again.

I most certainly plan, having tasted Hammond's red hominy with a ham hock preparation last year, on buying red hominy and other assorted items at the Powwow marketplace.

Speaking of Powwows, do you know if there is still a Powwow held in the park on Peterson, about 3500 West? I don't remember seeing that for the last 3-4 years.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:Speaking of Powwows, do you know if there is still a Powwow held in the park on Peterson, about 3500 West? I don't remember seeing that for the last 3-4 years.

I think so; annieb may know more about it. That powwow is sponsored by NAES College, and here is a blurb from their website:

http://www.naes.edu/about/activities.html

Each year on the third weekend in June the NAES College Chicago Campus hosts a contest pow-wow at Mather Park in Chicago. The pow-wow features dancers and drums from across the United States, and pays out more than $20,000 in prize money. The beautiful outdoor setting provides a grass arena for dancers; usually about 40 vendors participate in this pow-wow. For a panoramic web view of the NAES pow-wow, visit http://www.beautifulview.com/powwow/index.html..

(NAES stands for Native American Educational Services. Besides their campus in Chicago, they have branches in the Twin Cities and on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin.)

Thanks for letting us know about this however I already have other plans for that time. Just as an FYI, I am a docent for the Schingoethe Center for Native American Culture at Aurora University in Aurora. We have a great pow wow every Memorial Day weekend that draws several hundred dancers and about 50 vendors. I wish I could tell you we have great native foods but last year local ordinances prohibited the fry bread makers from cooking under their tents.

http://www.aurora.edu/museum/

Hi LikestoEatout,

thanks for the information and for the link -- your museum has a great web page. The booklet giving background information about powwows is especially useful, I think.

http://www.aurora.edu/museum/pdfs/infobooklet2.pdf

I really like the explanation and pictures of the different types of dances/regalia (for men: traditional or fancy or grass dancers; for women: traditional or shawl dancers or jingle dress dancers). The regalia worn by the dancers of all categories is always amazing. (And the youngest dancers, in the "tiny tots" age group, are just too cute!)

Too bad about the ban on cooking last year! Is there any way to change the set up and have food stands that won't violate the ordinances?

Amata

Amata,

I spoke to the associate director of the Schingoethe and they are in the process of selecting a new date for the pow wow that does not conflict with the University schedule. All arrangements and vendors are up in the air right now but I will keep you posted if interested.

Last day:

" ...grand entries of the dancers at 7 pm Friday, 1 pm and 7 pm Saturday, and 12 noon Sunday. Admission is $10 adults/$5 children and elders, or $18 for a weekend pass."

Antonius

I went Saturday night and got some good smelling stuff: a little bundle of sage and this extraordinary "sweet grass" that I'm keeping on my desk to sniff now and again. Also picked up three bags of hominy (red, blue and mixed) and some copal (not exactly sure what I'm going to do with this...probaby burn it somehow).

Hammond