Powwow turns 30

Native American ceremonial dancer at the annual Pah-Loots-Pu powwow

By Lisa Stone '06

From Washinton State Magazine, Fall 2005

Last April marked the 30th anniversary of the Pah-Loots-Pu Celebration Powwow at Washington State University. One of the largest student-run campus events, the powwow is held at the Beasely Performing Arts Coliseum and includes tribal representatives from around the country, with a large concentration from the Northwest. Pah-Loots-Pu, a Nez Perce word, means “people of the rolling hills,” referring to the area around Pullman. Over the years, the two-day celebration with singing, dancing, and crafts has attracted as many as 2,500 visitors. The event has value for the community as well as for the Native Americans who study and work at WSU, says Justin Guillory, a graduate student and retention counselor for Native American students. Each tribe has its own rich and distinct culture, say organizers, and the Pah-Loots-Pu celebration gives people the opportunity to experience that.