Native American Powwow lives up to its name

On March 1, Redbird announced its full head staff for the 2024 Children of Many Colors Native American Powwow. The name of the powwow was inspired by the words of Oren Lyons* at a talk he gave in Claremont in 1994. Lyons said "Every woman is a mother, and every man an uncle, to every child, no matter what color they are."

That's deep. It means that each of us has a duty to uphold all of humanity. And it surely seemed like a worthy goal for an annual cultural gathering that had just gotten started, more or less by accident, on a horse ranch in Moorpark.

A powwow is represented by it head staff...the chosen individuals who dance every dance, who announce what is happening, who manage the dance arena and oversee the integrity of the event as a whole Redbird's 2024 powwow will welcome six head dancers, three of whom will be taking on this responsibility for the first time.

Carlos Miranda Junior of the Yaqui Nation will be Redbird's head man dancer, alongside Yendi Nieto, Redbird's head woman, representing the Aztec Nation, and bringing her dance and heritage into the role of head staff at an intertribal powwow for the first time.

Gabriel Razo, Choctaw and Yaqui, will soon be a head staff veteran. Redbird's head young man dancer, Gabriel's distinctive dance style and personality have made him a popular choice as head young man at powwows across California. He will be dancing alongside Laila Ali, also of the Yaqui Nation.

Redbird's head boy, Nathaniel Gonzales of the Tejon Tribe, may be young, but he is well known in the dance arena and as a head boy dancer. Nathaniel is featured on the head staff announcement flier. He dances Northern Traditional style and will have a lot of support in the arena. He will dance alongside Suzzette Phoenix of the Navajo nation, who will be honoring Redbird with her first commitment as head girl dancer.

Providing the opportunity - and having the honor of the dancers accepting - head staff positions is just one way that a powwow gives back to the indigenous community and supports its youth. Powwows are a cultural lifeline in the urban environment. Redbird's powwow provides a familial and friendly atmosphere for both participants and guests. We'll take some time to get to better know our head staff, and our supporters, between now and June.

*Oren R. Lyons Jr. (born 1930, Seneca) is a Native American Faithkeeper of the Wolf Clan. The Seneca are one of the Six Nations of the historic Haudenosaunee Confederacy. For more than 14 years he has been a member of the Indigenous Peoples of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations and has had other leadership roles.
A highly recognized college lacrosse player at Syracuse University during his undergraduate years, Lyons later became increasingly active as an advocate for the rights of Indigenous peoples. He is the founder of the Haudenosaunee lacrosse team. (Source - Wikipedia)