Winter powwow ready to build Native connections

The Beaverton Valley Times, Jan 7, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

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Portland Community College and the Sylvania Campus Multicultural Center will celebrate Native American culture and ancestry in January.

The college will host its 11th annual Winter Powwow on Saturday, Jan. 23, in the HT Gymnasium at the Sylvania Campus, 12000 S.W. 49th Ave. Doors open at noon with grand entries at 1 and 7 p.m. The powwow is open and free to the public.

The 2010 Winter Powwow will feature master of ceremonies Bob Tom (Confederated Tribes of Siletz and Grand Ronde), whip man Ed Goodell (Confederated Tribes of Siletz), color guard by Northwest Indian Veterans Association and fry bread and Indian tacos provided by Fry Bread Man.

In addition, there will be a college fair from noon to 4 p.m., many Native American arts and crafts vendors and a community dinner at 5:30 p.m.

The powwow, which attracts more than 1,000 attendees every year, is a chance for Native American students at PCC to organize something that has a direct link to their culture.

Daniel Soucy, 28, volunteers for the powwow and designed this year’s poster. Soucy, who is Abenaki Indian, which hail from New England through to Quebec, grew up in New Hampshire and moved to Portland three years ago. Moving west, he was introduced to the way powwows are organized here and was instantly intrigued.

“It was also around that time that I discovered the frequency of the powwows out here,” said Soucy, a second-year graphic design student at the Sylvania Campus and member of the school’s United Tribes Native American Student Association. “I started attending regularly, and it really changed my life. I’ve decided to honor the traditions of my people, learn my language and (am) using my talents to help my people wherever needed.

“Powwows are a very important tradition of our people,” he added. “They were originally a dance to honor the warriors who have returned from defending our ways. However, over time, powwows have become a place where the Native community can meet with one another and honor our traditions and pass them on to future generations.”

American and Plains Indian sign language services are available during the event. For those with a disability that requires any special materials, services or assistance, contact the Disabilities Services at 503-977-4341, or TTY 503-246-4072 at least 72 hours prior to the event.

For more information, visit www.pcc.edu/about/events/powwow.

PCC is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon, serving approximately 87,200 full- and part-time students. It is also one of the top-20 largest employers in the Portland metro area and the 41st largest community college in the nation in terms of degrees issued. PCC, which is roughly the size of Rhode Island, has three comprehensive campuses, five workforce training and education centers, and 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.