Click photo to enlarge
Talon Tippeconnie, 11, of Farmington competes in the boys traditional dance Friday during the 8th Annual Freedom Days Contest Powwow at Farmington High School.
Freedom Days Powwow
Video highlights from the Freedom Days 8th Annual Contest Powwow.
FARMINGTON — The national anthem blared from speakers all over town Friday as citizens saluted the American flag and celebrated the nat-ion's birth.

The soundtrack varied at Farmington High School during the 8th Annual Freedom Days Powwow, but the sentiment was the same. Drums echoed in the gymnasium during the 11-hour event as hundreds of dancers dressed in traditional attire swept across the floor.

"The powwow is a way of representing Native American culture while observing the national holiday," said Francis Mitchell, a Navajo medicine man and a member of Farmington's Community Relations Commission. "It's not so much a celebration as it is a social gathering and a way of honoring our warriors."

Mitchell, a gourd dancer, worked with the city to organize the first powwow in 2001. It has since become an integral part of the city's Freedom Days celebration.

"It's hard to describe the two cultures: the Native American and the Anglo," he said. "We're talking about two separate things, and there is a gap in understanding,

Advertisement
but we're celebrating the same day."

The city's Community Relations Commission is charged with educating people about the area's varied cultures, including American Indian traditions, Mayor Bill Standley said. By introducing native traditions during city-sponsored events, the community can begin to bridge the cultural divide.

"We wanted to ensure that we had the opportunity to celebrate the native cultures on Independence Day," he said. "Native Americans are extremely patriotic and Independence Day is an important day on their calendar."

American Indians also have strong family ties, said 17-year-old dancer Katira Begay, of Hogback. Children are brought up learning about their culture and their bloodlines. Powwows are celebrations of families and opportunities to gather together for a common cause, she said.

"We dance for our warriors and veterans who are sick or who are serving," Begay said. "It's about coming together from many different Indian nations and being proud of who we are."

Warriors are an important part of Navajo heritage, President Joe Shirley, Jr., said in a statement released Thursday. The ideas of independence and sovereignty also resonate deeply on the Nation, he said.

"As a people, we never hesitate to stand up for our inherent right to be free and independent," he said. "It is for us at home for whom (warriors) put their lives on the line (and) to protect and preserve our Navajo way of life and the freedoms we enjoy and cherish as a country."

Standley said the annual event, which continues Saturday at Farmington High School, draws larger crowds of Anglo spectators every year. Because much of the event focuses on honoring veterans and active service members, the powwow can be meaningful to everyone, he said.

"One thing about the Fourth of July is that it has no cultural boundaries," he said. "Everyone participates in our country's birthday, and the celebrations cross the culture lines."

Alysa Landry: alandry@daily-times.com