After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Kyiyo Pow Wow returned to the University of Montana. | Kyiyo Pow Wow/Facebook
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Kyiyo Pow Wow returned to the University of Montana. | Kyiyo Pow Wow/Facebook
The Kyiyo Pow Wow recently returned to the University of Montana (UM).
The celebration is one of the country's oldest student powwows, featuring Native American singing, dancing and storytelling.
“It’s such an honor to uphold this momentous celebration after all the hardships we’ve collectively experienced in the past three years,” Riley Werk, co-president of the Kyiyo Native American Student Association, told NBC Montana before the event. "As a result of the COVID pandemic, mental health has been in a decline, and I can guarantee that this celebration is going to provide positive yields for our mental health and well-being."
The Kyiyo Pow Wow, a longtime University of Montana tradition, was held April 21-22 on campus in the Adams Center. Admission was free for children 6 and under as well as seniors over 65.
The 2023 celebration was the pow wow's 54th year. It was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022-2023 royalties were Cailei Cummins (Miss Kyiyo), Morgan Shakespeare (Jr. Miss Kyiyo) and Tamia Bull Bear (Litte Miss Kyiyo). The 2023 Kyiyo head staff were Ruben Little Head Sr. (master of ceremony), Conan Cutstherobe (head man), Wozek Chandler (head woman), Walter Runsabove (arena director), Aaron Denny (head drum judge), Jeremy Shield (head dance judge) and Dry Lake (host drum).
The annual event is a celebration of bringing together indigenous people from across the nation and Montana for the purpose of preserving the rich heritage and culture of Native Americans while renewing old traditions. The dance categories included men's and women's golden age (55+); adult men's and women's (ages 18-54) – traditional, fancy, grass, chicken, jingle; teen girls & boys (ages 13-17) – traditional, fancy, grass, chicken, jingle; junior girls & boys (ages 7-12) – traditional, fancy, grass, chicken, jingle; and tiny tots (ages 6 & under) no contest, paid two sessions. A singing contest was also held (1st-3rd).
Werk noted that she is delighted with the feast honoring her culture and people, and it motivates her to participate in activities with the Native student population on the UM campus.
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