The U of M Native American Student Association hosts their 50th annual Kyiyo Pow Wow celebration April 20th and 21st at the Adams Center.

The Pow Wow is open to the public and will include traditional dances & drumming along with food & art vendors. The 50th annual Kyi Yo Pow Wow starts Friday, April 20th, with Grand Entry at 7 p.m., and continues Saturday, with Grand Entry at noon and 7 p.m. Admission is $5 per session, or $12 for the weekend. Kids 6 & under and elders 65 & over are free. Tickets will be available at the door.

Basketball and handgame tournaments return for the 50th celebration and six UM alumni will serve as Head Woman and Man dancers.

The Annual Kyiyo Pow Wow Celebration is one of the oldest traditions of Kyiyo. The annual celebration unifies Native Americans from across the nation in an event full of dancing, singing and sharing of stories. The celebration is a time to preserve the rich heritage of Native Americans and renew the thoughts of the old traditions. The diversity of each tribe represented at the powwow is shown within the dancing styles and traditional dress of the dancers. Although from a wide array of backgrounds, each dancer comes together to celebrate to celebrate what their culture truly represents. Each year the powwow continues to grow, which shows the power of Native people and the perseverance to keep their culture alive.

Fun Fact: "kyiyo" translates to "bear" in the traditional Blackfoot language.

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