Interns, Native Americans and onlookers gathered on the Quad Saturday afternoon, July 10 for the Washington Internships for Native Students POWWOW.
The powwow in Native American culture, "is a celebration where you can feel free and happy," the emcee said at the beginning of the event.
The north side of the Quad had about 10 tables filled with items from headdresses to jewelry to food for people to observe and eat. Much of these cultural items were displayed by many natives dressed in various tribal regalia.
To kick off the event, the powwow held a grand entry, which included a march complimented by song and dance by the natives in their tribal dress. The entry represented many different native nations through the various flags displayed. This attracted many onlookers, including participants in the New Student Orientation and National Student Leadership Conference.
The representation of various tribes has significance, natives said.
"[Native society is] a clan system," said Walter Jourdain, a Native American of the Chippewa tribe from Minnesota. He said that powwows are a way to bring clans together and forget about feuds. "It's a social time."
Others agreed that the powwow was important.
"It's good for the D.C. community," said Michael Anspach, a member of the Navajo tribe and WINS intern working for the Department of Agriculture. "We do need to have a presence in Washington, D.C. because it's important that we don't forget the history of the Native Americans."
Others said they felt a sense of pride in seeing the powwow.
"I am proud to see that our people's presence is being acknowledged at American University," said Wendee Gardner, a WINS intern and member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation. "So often Native people are not given a public voice in the media."
Powwows also hold relevance regarding spirituality and health, as medicine men are often invited to powwows to treat people, according to Jourdain.
The WINS program is an internship program that allows Native Americans to participate in an internship in D.C., according to the program's Web site. The program is funded by the federal government, Native American organizations, foundations and corporations.
The program also includes a leadership seminar that covers tribal sovereignty; trust issues, health and social issues, and economic development. Upon completion of the program, the students receive six credits. A similar program runs in the fall and spring semester.
The interns are eligible for internships at the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Institute of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Energy, the Federal Communications Commission, the FBI and the Treasury Department.
