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About Us
An Intertribal Powwow in the Five College Area
The Odenong Powwow is a community-supported and run event taking place annually in Amherst, Massachusetts. Being Intertribal means rather than being organized by a local tribe, we are organized by members of multiple Native nations and communities, including Ojibwe, Odawa, Mohawk, and others. The powwow was born out of the desire to offer an event for local Native folks to connect, and share our skills in singing, dancing, and creating with each other and with the local non-Native community.
Our Story
Started in 2020 by our founder, Justin Beatty, the Odenong Powwow was hosted online by Social Distance Powwow as an opportunity to share globally the traditions and skills of Northeastern Native people. Quarantine impacted many folks, but what people may not realize is how the inability to attend powwows impacted the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of Native people. Having the ability to connect with each other virtually during that time was integral for many people in our communities.
The powwow was so successful that Justin made it an in-person event, filling a much needed gap in the Five College area- a dependable local powwow created by and for Native people.
While we continue to use community spaces in Amherst, what we would really like are powwow grounds gifted back to our communities. Due to the Native diaspora and the nature of being a university-heavy area, there is a strong intertribal community here in addition to the Nipmuc people, whose land this traditionally belongs to. We are asking any community members who have access to funds for purchasing, or land itself that is flat (for dancing), accessible (so that our community members can get here using public transit), and within the Five College area (to keep it local), to please consider reaching out to us at: Odenongpowwow@gmail.com
Just the Beginning...
Odenong Powwow Directors
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