MEDIA CONTACT: 

Lisa Marshall, 1-800-236-PLAY/7529 

E-mail: pr@travelwisconsin.com 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TASTE AND SHARE WISCONSIN'S NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE

MADISON, Wis. (Feb. 15, 2008) -Wisconsin is home to 11 federally-recognized Native American tribes and bands, the most of any state east of the Mississippi. Visitors to these sovereign nations cannot only visit deluxe, Vegas-style casinos, but also fascinating museums and cultural centers, such as the Wa-Swa-Goning village on the Lac du Flambeau reservation in Vilas County; the Potawatomi Cultural Center in Forest County; the Oneida Nation Museum near Green Bay; or the Menominee Heritage Auto Tour in Menominee County. 

During the summer and fall seasons, many tribes also put on colorful pow-wows, which can be traditional or competition events and may run multiple days. Usually open to the public, these gatherings offer a first-hand opportunity for travelers and local residents to learn about Native American culture while enjoying lively festivities, great food and fellowship.

A Pow-Wow Primer 

The word pow-wow is derived from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader." There are two basic kinds of pow-wows: traditional and competition. While all pow-wows feature dancing, traditional pow-wows include many intertribal dances to encourage participation from multiple tribes. Competition pow-wows, as their name implies, offer prizes to the best dancers and singing groups - which are also called "drums."  

The drum, which consists of the instrument and its singers, is considered the heartbeat of the pow-wow. Drums sing a variety of songs, which can be categorized into several fields, including flag songs, memorial songs, veteran's songs, intertribal songs, contest songs and more. Dancers' regalia change depending on the songs and dance style, which include traditional, fancy, and grass dance. There is no standard running time for the length of pow-wows; depending on the purpose, they can last for five to six hours, three days or - in some cases - even a week! 

All pow-wows -- while intrinsically unique in objective, content and dance -- feature a similar structure. The Grand Entry, which opens each session of the pow-wow, resembles a procession and includes all dressed dancers and/or dance competitors. Typically following the Grand Entry, a designated drum sings the Flag Song to honor the flags and staffs carried in the Grand Entry. Next, a Veterans' Dance honors those who have fought or died in the service of their country.

Where to find pow-wows in Wisconsin:

Ho-Chunk Nation Pow-Wow (Ho-Chunk Nation) 

Pow-Wow Grounds; Black River Falls 

The biannual cultural celebration features various activities throughout the weekend including pow-wows, traditional food, music and dancing. 

715/284-4658; www.blackrivercountry.net 

May 24 - 26, 2008 & Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, 2008

St. Croix Casino Native American Pow-Wow (St. Croix Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) 

St. Croix Casino; Turtle Lake 

As one of the largest competitive pow-wows in the Midwest, the 15th annual event includes competitive dancing and singing, performances, prizes, vendors and entertainment. 

715/986-4777; www.stcroixcasino.com 

June 27 - 29, 2008

Oneida Pow-Wow (Oneida Nation) 

Norbert Hill Center Pow-Wow Grounds; Oneida 

More than 400 dancers enter the pow-wow grounds for a weekend complete with traditional foods, arts and crafts, music, dance and culture. 

1-800-236-2214; www.oneidanation.org 

July 4 - 6, 2008

Annual Red Cliff Traditional Pow-Wow (Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) 

The Red Cliff Reservation; Red Cliff

 The cultural celebration includes a traditional pow-wow, opening drumming, three grand entries, a hand drum contest and more. 

715/779-3700; www.redcliff-nsn.gov/default.htm 

Date: TBD

Bear River Pow-Wow (Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) 

Bear River Pow-Wow Grounds; Lac du Flambeau 

Lac du Flambeau's annual traditional pow-wow unites various tribes from across the nation with social dancing, singing, food, and arts and craft vendors. 

715/588-3333 

July 11 - 13, 2008

Honor the Earth Pow-Wow (Lac Court Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) 

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation; Hayward 

Welcoming nearly 10,000 annual visitors, the event honors the Earth through traditional music, dance, crafts and food. The pow-wow includes a youth royalty pageant, four grand entries, a veterans recognition ceremony, social singing and dancing, and more. 

715/634-8662; www.haywardareachamber.com  

July 18 - 20, 2008

Manomin Pow-Wow (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) 

Bad River 

The Bad River Chippewa celebrate the wild rice harvest with the annual Manomin pow-wow as well as a 4K walk/run, bike and canoe races, and feasts that include manomin, or wild rice. 

715/682-7111 Date: TBD

Indian Summer Festival (All tribes) 

Henry Maier Festival Park; Milwaukee 

Nearly 65,000 visitors attend the annual festival, which is open to the public and includes a competition pow-wow and features a different theme each year showcasing Native American musicians, fine art, storytellers, traditional handcrafts, dance troupes, lacrosse, Indian summer music awards and more. 

414/604-1000; www.indiansummer.org 

Sept. 5 - 7, 2008

For free Wisconsin travel information and travel-planning guides, including the 2008 Wisconsin Spring/Summer Event Guide or the Wisconsin Activity Guide, visit www.TravelWisconsin.com or call the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's toll-free number 1-800-432-TRIP/8747. Travelers can also obtain guides and information at the Wisconsin Welcome Centers, located in select state-border cities. 

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