2019 San Manuel Pow Wow at Cal State San Bernardino
Join us for the 24th Annual San Manuel Pow Wow on October 11-13, 2019 at California State University in San Bernardino, California. Thousands of people from across North America descend on the San Manuel Pow Wow the second weekend each October to compete for $250,000 in prizes for dancing, drumming and singing contests. The Pow Wow hosts hundreds of dancers and more notably, several illustrious drums from throughout Indian Country. The event is hosted by the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians, presented in the spirit of togetherness and affirmation of Native American culture.
San Manuel Pow Wow at Cal State San Bernardino
The San Manuel Pow Wow is always free to the public. This is an opportunity for everyone to enjoy the finest Native American singers, dancers, and drummers in North America and Canada. It’s also a time to reaffirm our cultural and spiritual roots, both for individual tribes and for Native Americans as a whole.
Friday: The San Manuel Pow Wow is a three-day event of music and dance that is both a celebration and competition with participants vying for prizes and honoring enduring Native traditions. Friday activity begins around sundown, with an elder blessing the grounds with sage and offering a prayer for good spirit and a good time. This is traditionally followed by an exhibition of bird singing and dancing. The grand entry follows after which it’s time for the dancing (contest, exhibition, and intertribal). At the end of the evening, there is a small procession removing the flags from the arena proper, which ends each day.
Saturday: Two grand entries highlight Saturday’s schedule, one in the afternoon, the other in the evening. Exhibitions of gourd dancing by Southern tribal representatives and bird singing/dancing precede the afternoon session; and a bird singing/dancing exhibition takes place before the evening’s grand entry.
Sunday: Both of the Grand Entries are followed by more dancing (contest, exhibition, and intertribal). Sunday features one grand entry in the afternoon, which is again preceded by exhibitions of gourd dancing and bird singing/dancing. Then, it’s time for the climactic round of contest dancing. It’s the last opportunity for all of the competitors to impress the judges. Once that is over, the judges’ votes are tabulated, the winners announced, and prizes awarded. Unlike the other two day of the San Manuel Pow Wow, however, there is a more formal, spiritual closing ceremony that marks the official end of the Pow Wow.
Free Admission – Public Welcome
San Manuel Pow Wow Mini Gallery
POW WOW SCHEDULE
Friday
5pm – Blessing Of The Grounds
6pm – Bird Singing And Dancing
8pm – Grand Entry
Midnight – Retreat Colors
Saturday
11am – Gourd Dancing
Noon – Bird Singing And Dancing
1pm – Grand Entry
6pm – Bird Singing And Dancing
8pm – Grand Entry
Midnight – Retreat Colors
Sunday
11am – Gourd Dancing
Noon – Bird Singing And Dancing
1pm – Grand Entry
6pm – Announce Winners | Retreat Colors
For More Information:
San Manuel Pow Wow Committee 909-425-3450 powwowsanmanuel@gmail.com
Contestants will compete for over $250,000 in prizes.
Participant Registration begins at 5 p.m.
MEN’S DANCE CONTESTS
6 Winners From Each Men’s Category:
$1,500 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $400 $200
Golden Age (65+): Northern/Southern
Seniors (50-64) Combined: Northern, Southern, and Fancy/Grass
Adult (18-49): Northern Contemporary, Northern Traditional, Chicken Dance, Southern Straight, Grass, Northern Fancy, Southern Fancy
WOMEN’S DANCE CONTESTS
6 Winners From Each Women’s Category:
$1,500 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $400 $200
Golden Age (65+): Northern/Southern
Seniors (50-64) Combined: Northern, Southern, and Fancy/Jingle
Adult (18-49): Northern Buckskin, Southern Buckskin, Northern Cloth, Southern Cloth, Jingle, Fancy Shawl
TEEN DANCE
Winners From Each Teens Category:
$500 $300 $200 $100
JUNIORS DANCE
Winners From Each Teens Category:
$250 $200 $150 $100
DRUM OVER $100,000
Bring your best singers!
All Styles Combined, no separate categories
1st-$20,000 • 2-$18,000 • 3-$15,000
4-$13,000 • 5-$12,000 • 6-$10,000
7-$9,000 • 8-$8,000 • 9-$7,000
10-$6,000 • 11-$5,000 • 12-$4,000
13-$3,000 • 14 through 17-$2,000 each
YOUTH DRUM
1st-$5,000 • 2nd-$3,000 • 3rd-$1,000
4th-$500 • 5th-$500 • 6th-$250
7th-$250 • 8th-$250 • 9th-$250 • 10th-$250
Other contest dancing TBD
VENDORS
With Respect To Indian Culture, Native American Artists Only. Vendor Booths are 10 x 10. All vendors need fire extinguishers. Availability is limited and no walk up vendors, please For more info: powwowsanmanuelvendor@gmail.com
San Manuel Pow Wow Location:
Cal State San Bernardino:
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
All weekend activities will take place on the university’s soccer fields near the Coussoulis Arena.
Mark your calendar today so you don’t miss the next San Manuel Pow Wow on the second weekend of October at California State University in San Bernardino, California.
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