09/09/2026
This last weekend we held the 63rd annual Pow-Wow. It was a wonderful event. On behalf of the Business Committee, we would like to thank the many volunteers, the Pow-Wow Committee, the Administration, Head Staff, Master of Ceremonies, Drum Circle, the many volunteers, Dancers and everyone who participated and attended the event.
The Pow-Wow grounds were opened up on Monday and our first campers arrived shortly after the gates were opened. By the end of the weekend there were many campsites with hundreds of campers. The heat was in full effect all week, thank you to everyone for looking out for each other and our elders.
The Pow-Wow kicked off Friday, and Regalia was in full effect with the first beat of the drum. Saturday’s festivities began with a Business Committee Meet and Greet at 10:00 AM and hundreds showed up for some bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy.
Saturday evening’s festivities kicked off at 6:00 PM, and the pavilion was full of friends, families and dancers. This was by far our biggest night, with hundreds of dancers and spectators.
Sunday was a special day for our annual gathering. At 9:00 AM our JR Olympics and children’s events took place. There were smiling faces all morning. At 10:00 a ceremony was conducted at Aunt Jane King’s grave and the Business Committee cleaned up the grave and restacked the stones surrounding it. It looks very fitting. In the spring we will be planting some sage and other plants on it to make it look more fitting of how we should take care our ancestors.
I would like to give a special Thank You to our Co-Chairs and volunteers of the Pow-Wow committee, NoTin NaWatch PontiaQua King-Irwin ,Britney Long, Maggie Hicks, Hannah Berryman, and Anastasia Dixon. Thank you for everything you did. We appreciate your dedication and the time you have committed to making this year’s gathering of families an unforgettable weekend.
We graciously offer many thanks for all of your dedication and hard work to this year’s powwow, your efforts did not go unnoticed.
If you were unable to attend this year’s celebration, we missed you, but we hope to see you next year. Please mark your calendars for April 2-4 for Ottawa Heritage Days in Ottawa Kansas. We will be having a Pow-Wow on April 3rd on Ottawa University’s Campus. That weekend the Community of Ottawa, Kansas will be having a very large amount of events throughout the community. We would love to see you there. Also, our annual Pow-Wow will be Labor Day weekend in 2027, September 3rd, 4th, and 5th. We would like to see you come celebrate with us back here in Oklahoma.
Thank You All
The Business Committee of The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
