Submitted by Silke Oellrich, North Mianus
If you grew up in this area, you sense a strong connection to the land and its history. Old arrowheads can be found along the wooded trails, and for a moment you might feel that you wandered back a few centuries, and are among the Siwanoy or Paugussett. Names like Mianus River or Cognewagh Road remind us of people who lived here.
On the night of the Pow Wow, there’s a magical feeling as the community comes together to celebrate, just like our predecessors did centuries ago. The Pow Wow has been a part of our culture for 75 years. It is a gathering of people for the purpose of friendship and fun and games. How could that be offensive?
I asked a Native American woman of Pueblo ancestry to tell me whether “Pow Wow” was an appropriate term for our fair, or whether it was offensive. I described the carnival rides, games, and food.
She said:
“The peaceful meeting of people with various opinions is a celebration of our system of value and custom. Powwow exemplifies friendly competition, open discourse, and a welcoming friendship. Powwow means ‘I would like to go there.’ I immediately think of fun and respect. Powwow is part of the heritage of Americans. All Americans. The more heritage and tradition we share, the better people we are. E pluribus unum.”
And she’s right, we need to share our traditions and languages in order to preserve them. The word “powwow” itself is the only surviving word of a dead language. Mostly thanks to the English language, “powwow” is still a living word. And now someone wants to erase it.
How does it help to expunge native American words from our vocabulary? Believing they are making society more tolerant and open-minded, in reality they are scrubbing indigenous cultures from our collective memory.
One has to wonder where this leads. If we’re not allowed to have a pow wow, then is an Italian person allowed to host Oktoberfest – or would that be appropriation of German culture? Is a Korean man allowed to drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day?
Cancel culture has even tried to get rid of yoga, claiming it was a holy practice for Hindus that Westerners were appropriating and “degrading” into exercise. Actually, yoga is a morning breathing and exercise routine, there’s nothing religious about it. There is a goal of divine union, but it is metaphorical. Indians are very happy to see Westerners appreciate their culture.
A pow wow is a celebration, festival, a coming together of peoples, and feast. Let’s honor the true meaning of the word. Let’s invite a tribe to do a drum circle dance on Opening Day, blessing everyone and bringing peace. That’s how diversity works: everyone selects the best from every other culture, and brings it forward into the future together.
Submitted by Silke Oellrich, North Mianus