Whitman College and CTUIR to celebrate heritage at annual Pasxapa Powwow

WALLA WALLA – Whitman College will host the annual Pášx̣apa Powwow on Saturday marking a strengthened partnership between the college and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

The event, named after the Cayuse word for “Place of the Wild Sunflowers,” fulfills a key Memorandum of Agreement between the two entities to honor the heritage of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Tribes.

A series of educational events will then lead into the weekend. On Thursday, Adjunct Assistant Professor Althea Huesties-Wolf will present “Why We Dance” at 4:30 p.m. in the Hunter Conservatory, followed by a traditional tipi raising with Fred Hill Sr. at 5:30 p.m. On Friday, organizer Jeanine Gordon will host a “Powwow Etiquette” session at 4 p.m. in Olin Auditorium.

The official celebration commences on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in the Sherwood Athletic Center with opening remarks. Grand entries are scheduled for noon and 6 p.m. The evening session will feature a performance by Ballet Folklorico Estrellas de Mexico and the introduction of Aiden Wolf and Muriel Jones-Hoisington as the Pášx̣apa Warrior and Princess.

A centerpiece of the night is a traditional blanketing ceremony for Aiden Wolf and Lindsay “Sky” Pasena-Littlesky, the first two Šináata Scholars to graduate from Whitman.

The powwow is free to the public and features regional vendors and dance competitions ranging from Tiny Tots to Golden Age categories.

For full event details, visit https://www.whitman.edu/president/native-american-outreach

Photo from Whitman College of a dancer competing at the 2025 Pasxapa Powwow

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Elkhorn Media Group