Guests and Native American vendors and participants traveled to Northwest Tennessee to Discovery Park to take part in the inaugural Native American Powwow held Oct. 27 – 29, 2023.

This event, unique in Northwest Tennessee, provided a place for Indigenous people from tribes around the country to celebrate their culture while educating Discovery Park visitors on this aspect of our nation’s past, present and future.

Friday’s performances and exhibitions were planned with students in mind and included a “Birds of Prey” demonstration by a ranger from nearby Reelfoot Lake State Park.

The 2023 Northwest Tennessee Native American Educational Powwow included competitions and displays of Indigenous storytelling, drumming, singing and competition dancing. Native American artisans, craftsmen and traders displayed and sold their original work and food vendors provided opportunities for guests to enjoy traditional cuisines like fry bread, tacos and hominy.

The event also included several performances by Arvel Bird. With his violin, fiddle, Native flutes and Irish whistles, Bird’s performance featured a powerful and entertaining mix of music and stories.  No stranger to live entertainment, Bird has toured worldwide with Glen Campbell, Loretta Lynn, Tom T. Hall, Ray Price, Louise Mandrell and Clay Walker.

You can see pictures from all three days of the Powwow on Discovery Park’s Flickr page.

Winners of the competition portion of the Powwow were:

Men’s Grass 

Dancer: Stephan White Eagle

Dancer: B.C. Daugherty

Dancer:  Tim Clifft

Men’s Straight 

Dancer:  Ronald Monoesessy

Dancer:  Aaron Partin-Rogers

Dancer:  Nick Behan

Girl’s Jingle 

Dancer:  Lena Tsosie

Dancer:  Harmony Bl

Dancer:  Ashtyn Terry

Women’s Traditional 

Dancer:  Jaida Whitecloud

Dancer:  Nicole Pavateo-Santos

Dancer:  Jennifer Tsosie

Men’s Traditional

Dancer:  Kerry Reed

Dancer:  Charles Mesteth

Dancer:  Gabe Cleveland

Women’s Jingle 

Dancer:  Mikah Whitecloud

Dancer Brianna Printup

Dancer:  Roxy Evans

Men’s Fancy 

Dancer:  Adam Bell

Dancer:  Marcus Gardner, Jr.

Dancer:  Robin Jumper

Girl’s Traditional

1st Place:  Skye Poola

2nd Place:  Lauren Jennings

Boy’s Grass 

Dancer:  Eli Poola

Boy’s Traditional 

Dancer: Kayden French

Boy’s Fancy 

Dancer:  Ehren Bell