On May 21 and 22 from noon to 5 p.m., the United Native American Cultural Center held its Annual Unity Days Powwow at their site in Devens. Both days were ones of drumming, singing, laughter, and togetherness.
What exactly is a powwow? Lorena Novak, Inupiaq Eskimo and President/Chief of the cultural center, described the powwow as a gathering. “There are some sacred things that are done at our powwow, for the most part. There’s vendors, drumming, dancing …”
Peter “Searching Owl” Giove served as the announcer for the event. (Photos by Thomas Kilian)
An abalone shell filled with sage is used in the smudging ritual, where smoke is wafted over the individual using feathers to drive away negative energy before they enter the circle.
This was certainly the case; dances took place in a circular area around a fire, accompanied by drumming and singing. One dance was the Veterans’ Dance, where any veteran, or anyone with veteran ancestors, was welcome to enter the circle and join the dance to “receive their honor.” The accompanying song carried the names of different conflicts, such as the world wars and the Vietnam War.
You didn’t have to be native to take part in this dance or attend the powwow overall. “A lot of people think that a powwow is something sacred and you’re not supposed to attend if you’re not native—that’s not the case; it’s open to everybody,” Novak said.
Among those welcome to and included in the event were children, who participated in the gathering’s Candy Dance. Sweets were scattered around the circle by adults, as a speaker at the event jokingly remarked that the dance was sponsored by “the Native American Dental Association.”
Kids of all ages then danced around the fire from a safe distance to the beat of the drums. When the drumming stopped, the children would pick up as much candy as possible. The drums would then start again, and the kids would continue to dance.
Vendors lined the outer edge of the event, selling artisan apparel, jewelry, oils, incense sticks, pelts, and even axes. The cultural center itself was also selling food such as hot dogs and burgers, and drinks like water, soda, and Gatorade for a hot day. One had to bring cash, though; it was a 50/50 chance as to whether a vendor would take a card.
Another purpose of the powwow was to honor the previous president of the center, Chief Roland Jerome, who had died unexpectedly in January of 2020. His memory was honored at the powwow on Sunday afternoon, after more than two years of people being unable to gather.
Chief Lorena Novak gave a tribute: “Roland was a wonderful teacher, he had patience. He would take time to explain why things needed to be done, and he would instruct you on how they had to be done. If Roland didn’t know, he would talk to one of his elders and get the answers for you. He left behind a huge legacy, and we really, really miss him a lot.”
She said she hopes people walked away from the powwow with the understanding that “it’s important to all of us that we work to get along.” She noted that the center tries to teach respect, especially toward one’s elders. Earlier in the day, one older dancer had fallen during the flag dance. Attendees and organizers flocked to get the man out of the sun and into the center’s main building.
She noted that these events are also about introducing and teaching children about native culture. “Education is so important … sadly, what’s taught in the school system isn’t real life. According to them, all native people lived in teepees, and that’s just not the case.”
When asked about a message to local communities at large, Novak mentioned a food drive that the center used to do for the Mi’kmaq and Penobscot people in Maine, but this stopped two years ago.
Novak also mentioned more annual events that the center runs. In the autumn, the fall feast is held, where the bounty of the season is celebrated. Salmon is specifically mentioned, along with the harvest and a potluck.
In November, the bear feast takes place, which is a Mi’kmaq ceremony. Novak described Muwin the Bear, a “major character of Wabanaki folklore,” according to native-languages.org.
“The Mi’kmaq people believe that when the Bear hibernates, goes to sleep … the Bear travels to the spirit world, and while he’s in the spirit world, he collects all the medicines that people need. Then in the springtime, when he awakens, we have another bear feast to celebrate his awakening—one in November, and I think the other one is in March,” Novak said.
Novak said, “They’re both open to the public; most of our events that we have are all open to the public.” She said that everyone is welcome to join in the fun.
Joe Guevara performs a dance at the UNACC’s Chief Roland Jerome Memorial Powwow.
From left, Chris Butterfield, Ana Madden, Jennifer Mahlert, Lee Berard, and Martha Nunes participate in a drum song lead by drum leader Jay “Singing Spirit” Cunningham, who raises his hand and urges them on to sing louder.
