History of Survivance: Upper Midwest 19th-Century Native American Narratives

Pow wow season in Minnesota generally starts in May and runs through September. Every reservation hosts a dance, and most aspects of the dances are open to the public. Many modern pow wows have taken on a competitive facet, where dancers contend for cash prizes within genres such as Jingle Dance or Men’s Traditional. Today, dancers come to these events from all over the U.S. and Canada. Some are dressed like the men in this photograph, some wear the newer traditions that have spread from other parts of Native America – and all of them are broadcasting the survival of their cultural identity with pride.