First-of-its-kind pow wow is planned
By Terry Murry on Friday, December 29th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the city of Pendleton will stage the “Two Cultures, One Community Pow Wow” at the Pendleton Convention Center Feb. 23-25, 2024. The main organizers for the event are CTUIR’s Fred Hill and Pendleton Convention Center Manager Pat Beard.
“Fred and I have talked about this and bounced ideas around, and we’re building this from the ground up,” Beard said. “There are eight or 10 of us all working on it and it’s going to be an exciting, great community event.”
Hill said the idea grew from a conversation he and Beard had when Tribal dancers appeared before an Oregon city managers’ convention.
“After we concluded, Pat pulled me aside and mentioned that he wanted to start a pow wow in the convention center,” Hill said. “So we just started talking and cuing in others and see where we could go from there.”
Both CTUIR and the city are supporting the event. It will feature a prominent drum group from Alberta, Northern Cree, which has nine Grammy nominations. Reuben Littlehead will be the announcer.
Beard said that while the event is being pulled together on the fly, Hill and others are richly experienced in staging such events.
“It’s one of the most exciting things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Beard said of pow wows.
Seed money is coming from CTUIR Executive Director Donald Sampson. Travel Pendleton, the Eastern Oregon Visitors Association and others are providing funds while the city of Pendleton is donating the use of the convention center and its staff.
Sponsors and donors are still needed for three-day event. Beard said those who want to jump on board are welcome to contact CTUIR Director of Communications Kaeleen McGuire, Hill, or himself for more information.
Photo via Frederick A Hill Sr. on Facebook: Hill on the left, Pat Beard on the right
