Northwoods Experience: Bemidji State Hosts 51st Annual Powwow

Bemidji State University’s 51st annual powwow, presented by the Council of Indian Students, recently brought together Native American dancers, drummers, students, faculty, and community members to celebrate American Indian culture on Saturday.

The university has celebrated Indigenous traditions for 51 years by hosting an annual powwow in the BSU Gymnasium. This year marks the second time the event has been held without restrictions following the COVID pandemic, allowing the community to get the full experience.

“Here at Bemidji State, I guess for us in general, it’s a time for us to come together as a community in a place that we don’t often feel welcome,” said Ashley Jones, Student Success Coordinator at BSU’s American Indian Resource Center. “So for us, it is a place for us to feel safe and come together and share our culture and our music with the wider community here in Bemidji.”

According to BSU, the powwow is the longest running one in Bemidji.