Indigenous Peoples Day: Berkeley powwow

Indigenous Peoples Day: Berkeley powwow:

Though Indigenous Peoples Day usually falls on Oct. 12, Berkeley will celebrate the holiday a little early this year with the annual powwow and Indian market Saturday in the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park.

This marks the 21st year for the gathering, which features not only a Native American arts and crafts fair, but also a kaleidoscope of drumming, singing and dance in intertribal exhibitions and contests.
A highlight of the morning will be the performances by about 20 dancers from the Northern California Pomo peoples.

Tribal members both young and old, outfitted in their vibrant beaded and feathered regalia, will share stories, dances and songs in the powwow circle, says Gino Barichello, the event's coordinator. He's been involved with the celebration since its inception in 1992, when Berkeley replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.

Kids and grown-ups alike can watch the high-energy, colorful Aztec dancers, who will perform dances representing peoples of Central America as part of the exhibitions. Following the exhibitions, there'll be a ceremonial Gourd Dance, which Barichello says will honor veterans and warriors.

That'll be followed by intertribal dancing, Barichello says, "when all people are welcomed into the powwow arena to dance and participate."

In traditional powwow fashion, around noon the dancers will parade into the circular dance arena for an invocation and ceremony known as the "grand entry." During the dancing that follows, Barichello says, "the whole general community comes out to enjoy each other's company and dance together, whether in Native American or street clothing."

If you'd rather not take part, it's fine to sit outside the dance arena and just take it all in. Do remember though that it's polite to ask first if you want to take a photo of a particular dancer in regalia, and photos aren't allowed during some parts of the day's proceedings.

If you don't know much about powwows, don't worry: Every gathering has a master of ceremonies - Saturday that will be Tom Phillips, of the Kiowa and Creek - who not only keeps the day moving along, but also explains who is performing. And Barichello says, don't be shy.

"We have community members who attend powwows all year long, and spectators will often come up and ask about dances or styles. You can always come up to the speaker stand and get an answer."