22nd Annual Harvard Powwow
Donation protected
Hi there!
We are Erica Kiemele (Blackfoot, Métis) a 4th year Harvard Medical Student, Kaci McClure (Cherokee and Choctaw) a Master's Student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Damon Clark (Diné) a Senior at Harvard College. Alongside the dedicated personnel at the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP) we are planning this year's 22nd Annual Harvard Powwow to be held on Saturday April 29th 1-6pm at the Harvard Quadrangle (10 Garden street, Cambridge, MA, between Garden street and Shepard Street).
Why do we need funding?
The Harvard powwow is overseen by HUNAP. However, the planning for powwow is entirely student led and done with limited funding set aside from the University. To ensure a successful powwow each year we seek outside funding and in-kind donations from organizations, local buisnesses and individuals. This year to complement our regular fundraising initiatives we decided to reach a larger audience through gofundme.
Funding received will help contribute to multiple costs such as:
- honorariums for dancers, drum groups and event staff
- travel costs for drum groups and special guests
- facility rentals fees
- table and chair rentals
- food available for drummers (+families), dancers and arena staff
What is a powwow?
It is a gathering of native people who come together to meet and dance, sing, socialize, and honor their cultures. Our powwow is open to the public and coincides with with Cambridge’s Arts First celebration.
The Powwow has striven to remain an event truly reflective of the Native community at Harvard. It is still a one-day, traditional powwow that seeks to balance – in both participation and spirit – the importance of honoring those nations on whose land Harvard lies and involving the truly inter-tribal nature of the student community at the University.
The first reoccurring Harvard powwow started in 1995 with three major goals:
1. Boost the visibility of the small Native American student community – both within the Harvard campus and amongst the larger Cambridge and Boston communities.
2. Allow for the Native Students at Harvard to have more direct and deliberate opportunity to connect with the original tribal nations here in the New England area.
3. The third major goal was an attempt for Native students to bring a little bit of home and family to life in their experiences here at Harvard.
Shelly Lowe, executive director of HUNAP (middle) and
co-chair Damon (far right) at the 19th Annual Harvard powwow (2014)
Raquel (left) showing some frybread love at the 18th Annual Harvard powwow (2013)
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Oki! Erica here! I've been dancing since a little girl in various styles such as jazz, ballet and hip hop to name a few. However, I didn't start to learn to fancy shawl until I was much older. Attending powwows is a really meaningful experience to me. I get to dance, meet other local indigenous people in the area, meet talented vendors, enjoy the delicious food, and my favorite listen to the beat of the drum. As such, I feel very fortunate to be on the planning committee!
-Erica
Osiyo! Kaci dawadoa. Hello, my name is Kaci. I’m one of the Pow Wow co-chairs this year! I’m excited to work on planning Pow Wow, and to enjoy celebrating our Native “Brilliance and Resilience” this year in April. I love Pow Wow because it’s a beautiful reflection of our cultures and a great way to end the year as a Native community.
-Kaci
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Putting on a powwow in the heart of Harvard Square requires a lot of hard work and financial support.
We feel very fortunate to be able to have an annual powwow and without the help of amazing donors such as yourselves we wouldn't be able to!
Nitsiniiyi'taki
Ahéhee'
Thank you!
20th Annual Harvard powwow (2015)
We are Erica Kiemele (Blackfoot, Métis) a 4th year Harvard Medical Student, Kaci McClure (Cherokee and Choctaw) a Master's Student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Damon Clark (Diné) a Senior at Harvard College. Alongside the dedicated personnel at the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP) we are planning this year's 22nd Annual Harvard Powwow to be held on Saturday April 29th 1-6pm at the Harvard Quadrangle (10 Garden street, Cambridge, MA, between Garden street and Shepard Street).
Why do we need funding?
The Harvard powwow is overseen by HUNAP. However, the planning for powwow is entirely student led and done with limited funding set aside from the University. To ensure a successful powwow each year we seek outside funding and in-kind donations from organizations, local buisnesses and individuals. This year to complement our regular fundraising initiatives we decided to reach a larger audience through gofundme.
Funding received will help contribute to multiple costs such as:
- honorariums for dancers, drum groups and event staff
- travel costs for drum groups and special guests
- facility rentals fees
- table and chair rentals
- food available for drummers (+families), dancers and arena staff
What is a powwow?
It is a gathering of native people who come together to meet and dance, sing, socialize, and honor their cultures. Our powwow is open to the public and coincides with with Cambridge’s Arts First celebration.
The Powwow has striven to remain an event truly reflective of the Native community at Harvard. It is still a one-day, traditional powwow that seeks to balance – in both participation and spirit – the importance of honoring those nations on whose land Harvard lies and involving the truly inter-tribal nature of the student community at the University.
The first reoccurring Harvard powwow started in 1995 with three major goals:
1. Boost the visibility of the small Native American student community – both within the Harvard campus and amongst the larger Cambridge and Boston communities.
2. Allow for the Native Students at Harvard to have more direct and deliberate opportunity to connect with the original tribal nations here in the New England area.
3. The third major goal was an attempt for Native students to bring a little bit of home and family to life in their experiences here at Harvard.
Shelly Lowe, executive director of HUNAP (middle) and
co-chair Damon (far right) at the 19th Annual Harvard powwow (2014)
Raquel (left) showing some frybread love at the 18th Annual Harvard powwow (2013)
-----
Oki! Erica here! I've been dancing since a little girl in various styles such as jazz, ballet and hip hop to name a few. However, I didn't start to learn to fancy shawl until I was much older. Attending powwows is a really meaningful experience to me. I get to dance, meet other local indigenous people in the area, meet talented vendors, enjoy the delicious food, and my favorite listen to the beat of the drum. As such, I feel very fortunate to be on the planning committee!
-Erica
Osiyo! Kaci dawadoa. Hello, my name is Kaci. I’m one of the Pow Wow co-chairs this year! I’m excited to work on planning Pow Wow, and to enjoy celebrating our Native “Brilliance and Resilience” this year in April. I love Pow Wow because it’s a beautiful reflection of our cultures and a great way to end the year as a Native community.
-Kaci
-----
Putting on a powwow in the heart of Harvard Square requires a lot of hard work and financial support.
We feel very fortunate to be able to have an annual powwow and without the help of amazing donors such as yourselves we wouldn't be able to!
Nitsiniiyi'taki
Ahéhee'
Thank you!
20th Annual Harvard powwow (2015)Organizer and beneficiary
Erica Rose
Organizer
Boston, MA
Harvard University Native American Program
Beneficiary
