40th annual AISES Powwow kindles deeper community connections

McKenna Van Voris, Staff Reporter

November 4, 2024

Kimberly Davis of the Yaqui tribe dances the jingle dress dance during the grand entry song at 40th annual American Indian Science and Engineering Society Powwow in the Colorado State University Ballroom Nov. 2. “What I wear is a healing dress, a medicine dress,” Davis said. “I dance for the people.”

Editor’s note: Two of the photos included in this article have been changed at the request of the Native American Cultural Center.

Organized by American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Colorado State University’s 40th annual Powwow turned the Lory Student Center Grand Ballroom into a display of ornate attire, pounding drums and singing.

The Powwow hosted individuals from a variety of states, such as Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona, Saturday, Nov. 2.

AISES President Miya Chavez explained a large draw behind hosting events like the Powwow: to emphasize that Indigenous culture is still alive.

“Your family has put up so much for you; your ancestors have gone through so much, and so for you to keep going and get an education is huge. That speaks volumes to the resilience of Native people and also just how much strength we have.” -Rasa Humeyumptewa, Native American Cultural Center assistant director

“I mean, there are some people out there that think that we’re not in existence anymore,” Chavez said. “So I think it’s really important to recognize that, hey, this is a group that’s here.”

The fact that the event is held on the university’s campus is significant — an ode to the history Indigenous peoples have with academia and the struggles endured to get to where they are today.

“Your family has put up so much for you; your ancestors have gone through so much, and so for you to keep going and get an education is huge,” said Rasa Humeyumptewa, Native American Cultural Center assistant director. “That speaks volumes to the resilience of Native people and also just how much strength we have.”

A dancer in traditional Native American regalia with an array of colors dances in a ballroom. — Anthony Martinez of the Oglala Lakota tribe prepares to dance the grass dance during the 40th annual American Indian Science and Engineering Society Powwow in the Colorado State University Ballroom Nov. 2. “My dance comes from a warrior society,” Martinez said. “We were scouts. We would go out and be the first ones to look upon where we would (make) our camp and where we would hunt. … We’d be the first ones out there to lay down the grass. (And) as our people would put up our tipis, we would dance the whole time.” (Collegian | Garrett Mogel)

Community also plays a large part in the Powwow, as it is an event that welcomes anyone, regardless of their background, religion or culture.

“There’s no sort of expectation of how you’re supposed to come,” Humeyumptewa said. “Community exists within our tribes, but community also expands out beyond that. As Native people, we really sort of welcome everyone.”

Doreen Martinez, an Apache tribe member and an associate professor within the ethnic and gender studies research department at CSU, touched on the deeper connotation of the event.

“This is an act in which we’re engaging in connection to our spirituality and in connection literally to the ways in which we seek to be as human beings,” Martinez said.

Details of Yellowhorse-Davis’ regalia during the 40th annual American Indian Science and Engineering Society Powwow in the Colorado State University Ballroom in Fort Collins Colorado Nov. 2. (Collegian | Garrett Mogel)

It’s events such as these that can make one feel at home when in a new place for the first time. Chavez gave her perspective on being from a different part of the country and moving to Fort Collins as a Native American.

“For me, as an out-of-state student coming into such an urbanized area, it’s really nice to see a lot of people that look like me and a lot of people that understand where I come from and who I am as a person,” Chavez said.

Thatcher Boehr, a member of the Lakota tribe, discussed his feelings as an annual spectator of the Powwow.

“It’s just very nice being able to reconnect with the past and kind of just feel connected with everyone else,” Boehr said. “It’s very important to accept who you are, but it’s also important to know who you are.”

The Powwow is a space for the community to come together at CSU with a larger purpose.

“Really, it’s about a larger understanding of what it means to be who you are and how you connect to not just our presence but particularly our Indigenous peoples, our past and also our future,” Martinez said.

Reach McKenna Van Voris at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @mckenna_vv.

About the Contributor

Garrett Mogel, Photo Director

Garrett Mogel is a fourth-year journalism student with a second field of study in philosophy. He is one of two photo directors for the 2024-25 school year. Growing up in Colorado and surrounded by dreamlike landscapes and adventure sports, it was only a matter of time before Mogel picked up a camera. For over a decade, he explored Colorado, ported rivers, postholed through several feet of snow, rappelled over cliffs and skinned up mountains, all with a camera in hand. Through his adventures, Mogel began attaching stories to images and engaging viewers in conversation about their favorite areas. Eventually, Mogel’s passion for photography and storytelling drew him to pursue a degree and career in photojournalism. In his time at Colorado State University, Mogel has worked with The Collegian every year. In progressing through the publication, Mogel has seen all the ways student media fosters growth, both individually and through collaboration. Additionally, the opportunity to witness how impactful a story can be on a personal, organizational and community level is his greatest lesson thus far. Beyond The Collegian, Mogel still finds time to appreciate his Colorado upbringing. When not on assignment, he can usually be found mountain biking, skiing, camping, river surfing or at home planning his next adventure.

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