What is a powwow, and can anyone go?
A powwow is a Native gathering of dancing, singing, drumming, food and family, and many powwows welcome the public.Some are small homecomings, and some are big intertribal events with dance contests. Visitors are guests, so a few simple manners matter: stand for Grand Entry, ask before photos, and never touch regalia.
1 · MindWhat it is
Powwows bring Native people together to strengthen community and keep culture alive. Some are small tribal gatherings, sometimes called homecomings. Others are large intertribal events, where many nations come together, often with dance competitions. The drum is at the center. It sets the beat for every dance.
Most powwows open with Grand Entry. Dancers enter the arena, led by flag carriers (often military veterans) and head dancers. An announcer, called the emcee (master of ceremonies), runs the event, explains each dance and tells the crowd the rules, including when photos are allowed.
What dancers wear is called regalia, not a costume. It differs by dance and region, from beaded buckskin dresses to jingle dresses covered in metal cones. Many pieces are handmade, passed down, or carry spiritual meaning. Eagle feathers are especially sacred.
What each tradition or community says
Organizers describe powwows as family and community events, not shows. Visitors are welcome, as long as they remember that the dancers are people celebrating their own culture.
For many dancers, regalia is personal and sometimes sacred. Some spiritually important pieces, like real eagle feathers, are reserved for people who are qualified to wear them.
The Smithsonian Center for Folklife describes regalia as a powerful mix of historic and modern dress. It notes that when an eagle feather falls, dancers protect it until it can be picked up properly.
2 · HeartWhat it feels like
If you’ve never been, you may worry about doing something wrong. That’s a good sign. It means you care. Most powwow crowds are friendly, and the emcee will tell you what to do.
For the families dancing, a powwow can be a reunion, a prayer and a party at once. You are being let into something that matters to them.
You don’t need an invitation to most powwows. You just need your manners and a folding chair.Neighbor Radio
3 · HandsHow to be a good neighbor
Stand for Grand Entry. Stand quietly, don’t eat, and take off your hat (unless it’s traditional headwear) during Grand Entry and any special songs the emcee announces.
Hands off the regalia. Don’t touch a dancer’s regalia, especially feathers. If a piece falls, don’t pick it up. Tell powwow staff. Never call it a costume.
Ask before photos. Ask a dancer before taking their picture, and listen for the emcee’s rules. Never photograph or record the ceremony for a fallen eagle feather.
Mind the seats. Benches around the arena are usually for dancers and their families. Bring your own lawn chair.
This weekLook up a public powwow in your area this season, bring a chair, and stay through Grand Entry.
Plain wordsWhat do these words mean?
- Powwow
- A Native American gathering of dance, song, drum and community. Many are open to visitors.
Four questions to take with you
From the story of the Good Samaritan, the stranger who stopped to help. We call it the Good Neighbor Test.
- Did they see? Or look right past?
- Did they stop? Even when it was inconvenient?
- Did it cost them? Time, money, comfort, reputation?
- Did they treat the person like a person? Not like a label?
Try it on: if a stranger came to your family reunion, what would you hope they’d do?
Quick questions
Do I have to be Native to go to a powwow?
No. Many powwows are open to non-Native visitors. If an event is listed as private or for a family or community only, respect that.
Can I dance?
Sometimes. Intertribal dances are open to people of all nations, and visitors without regalia may join social songs like these. Wait for the emcee to announce one.
What should I wear?
Normal, modest clothes are fine. Don’t wear anything that imitates Native regalia, like feather headdresses.
- Multnomah County Library: Powwow etiquette
- Grand Valley State University: Pow Wow Etiquette
- American Indian Magazine (National Museum of the American Indian): Powwows
- COTRAIC: Pow Wow Etiquette
- Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage: American Indian Powwows, Regalia
Fact-checked October 13, 2026 against National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Grand Valley State University. Written in plain words by the Neighbor Radio team. Every fact is checked against what each community says about itself, in its own official sources, plus a neutral reference. Part of this community and something doesn't sound like you, or spot a mistake? Tell us. We read every note and fix mistakes.
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
