Now in its 19th year, the Westwood Powwow in Mesa continues to improve with age. The event is organized by the Native American Education Program (NAEP) in collaboration with the Native American Club at Westwood.

The gathering took place Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28 on the high school campus soccer field and saw a massive turnout this year. Over 100 vendors came through to share jewelry, clothing, food and other artisan crafts with prospective buyers and visitors. 

This year’s powwow held special connection to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community as students from Westwood’s Native American Club joined Bird Singing and Dancing by the River for a special dance on Saturday before breaking for supper.

The performance followed dedicated practices led by Community member Annette Vest and her husband Lynwood, who volunteered time and energy by holding practice sessions during lunch at the school. The sessions were significant for the students who participated, many of whom were beginning dancers or had danced before and were looking to reconnect in that way.  

Aarick Mack said a few words at the microphone during the performance, explaining the significance of the dances they shared and how the group originally formed, as a means of keeping the Community’s youth connected to their culture and to each other in a traditional and consistent way as outside influences threatened their mental and spiritual well-being. 

The idea for the students to join and perform the dance came from the desire to leave no one feeling left out as many students face greater barriers to connecting to culture. 

“I come from a family who doesn’t powwow as much as me, and I wanted to include everyone in our celebration within the community,” said NAEP Liaison Renae Blackwater (Akimel O’odham). She shared that it was important to create these opportunities through the dance lessons as well as other activities like ribbon skirt making, ce:mait classes, and blue corn workshops. These are especially important for students who “don’t have access to this knowledge at home, or don’t know where to begin,” she said.

Blackwater also shared that although she has had her own journey through powwow, this was her first time coordinating the powwow alongside her fellow Westwood NAEP Liaison, Jaden Bird. She emphasized that it wouldn’t have been possible without the vast network of support from the school and the community. Blackwater shared the following:

“I would like to shout out our Club Teacher Sponsor, Kristen Lee, our other Westwood Liaison, Jaden Bird and his family, Yvonne Dinehdeal and Chris Dinehdeal, Shayna Blackwater, Geri and Errol Blackwater, Harlie Mitchell, Aliyah Mitchell, Sadiyah Yazzie and family, Alyssa Thomas and family, Kellen Little and family, Aaron Canez and family, Trent Tu’tsi and family, Victoria Thomas, Aarick Mack, Annette Vest, Zoe Hernandez and the entire Singing and Dancing by the River group and the entire Westwood Administration- Principal Gilmore, Mr. Pong, Ms. Sigler, Ms. Dewey and our Westwood Security, Janitors and Police Officers for having a helping hand in ensuring a safe and smooth celebration! It makes me happy to see how much our community loved it, and the Native American Club and I are anticipating next year’s celebration!”