By Andrea George
On February 7th, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., NCSSM hosted an exhibitional Powwow led by Kenly McLaurin, a Native-American senior from Reynolds. The event brought students, families, and community members together in a beautiful celebration of Native American culture, tradition, and pride.
A Powwow is a Native American gathering where Native communities gather together to honor those who came before them, celebrate the present, and look towards the future. While powwows are well known for their music and dance, there is a deeper spiritual importance. The arena is a sacred ground, where dancers follow the rhythm of the drum, also known as “the heartbeat of the people.” The different dance styles, regalia, and songs of each tribe each have their own history and meaning. Exhibitional Powwows—like the one hosted at NCSSM—are important in educational spaces to invite community members to learn about and witness these traditions that have been preserved and passed down from generation to generation.
McLaurin served as the head female of the NCSSM Powwow, guiding the ceremony through the arena in an excellent display of leadership.
“To me, it’s just another version of home,” she explained. “That’s where I’m most carefree. That’s where I’m just most happy because I’m doing what I love and I’m surrounded by the people I love.”
When asked about the turnout of NCSSM students, Kenly was amazed to see how many people had shown up to fill the PEC. “It was really good,” she commented. “ I know we could have had more people, but with the weather conditions and coming back to campus, that made it hard, but even then we still had a really good turnout.” The strong attendance despite winter weather difficulties served as a testament to the genuine curiosity and support from the campus community here at NCSSM.
“It’s important because we do have a low percentage of students on both the Durham and Morganton campus,” she added. “ Just being able to show a different culture and add more to the diversity that is on both campuses just really made me happy.” Historically, NCSSM has hosted powwows since 1992 to promote awareness of the school to young Native American students who sought out excellent education not only in STEM, but also in the traditional teachings of their culture.
“I hope they take away how rich our culture is,” McLaurin said thoughtfully, “Really, how much we respect it, and how much it means to us as Native People.”
The NCSSM student body contains immense cultural diversity, with origins reaching across the world. Our stories intertwine here, and it is up to us to take the initiative: go out, learn and truly engage with respectful questions. Making the most of our experience at NCSSM means embracing the cultures on campus that make our community whole.
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