Kyi-Yo Powwow 2010: Reader tips on next year’s gathering– and this one

The comments keep coming in — it’s important for people to express their thoughts on this community matter — and I’m posting some as they come along. All the comments are available for viewing on this site. Meanwhile, here are some thoughts from Joe M. at powerbuffalo@yahoo.com:

I too am a UM graduate, past Kyi-yo club president and powwow coordinator for two years. What took place this weekend was sad and unfortunate. And, there is some truth in most of the comments made here regarding the powwow this weekend – good and bad.

First thing first. The club does need to apologize for not communicating to the people who were planning on going and who did travel to Missoula, that they were not going to meet the advertised commitments. Sometimes, simple honesty and communication goes a long way toward healing.

Second, understanding and forgiveness are supposed to be important values for all Indian people. Those who are upset and disappointed should try to find forgiveness, rather than being angry and criticizing.
We have all made mistakes in our lives, none of us is perfect.

Third, the Indian student population of UM needs to come together, stop blaming and bickering among themselves, accept personal responsibility for what they did or didn’t do, and then forgive themselves, learn, make a commitment that this will not happen again, and move on. It is a time for reflection, and personal and organizational healing. Ask your elders for spiritual help, including people like Earl Old Person and Barney Old Coyote, along with others from all the student tribes. The dedication of the new Native Center in May would be a good opportunity to start the healing process.

Just as in life in general, the Indian student population of UM is viewed by the larger society as a group. What the Kyi-yo club does reflects on everyone whether you were part of the club, part of the powwow or not.
There should be no “Crow” club or no “Blackfeet” club or no “Salish Kootenai” club, it is the Indian students’ club. It is everyone’s club.

It is also time to learn. It is a tremendous effort to put on the Kyi-yo powwow. During powwow week, school work and family life often take a back seat. So, the club needs to be realistic. If the powwow is going to be a competition powwow, be realistic about what can be paid for prize money and how many places can be paid. Three places is probably enough.

Make a concerted political effort to change the UM approach the rental of the Adams Center (it has always been one of the greatest financial burdens of the powwow), demand at least a cut of the concessions or ban the concessions, and/or demand a greater allocation from the Student body. It is time to call UM on its commitment to cultural diversity.

Start a marketing and fundraising effort with Missoula businesses who benefit from the powwow. Offer to direct powwow participants to those businesses and make a real effort to get the powwow people to patronize only those business while in Missoula – publish a list of business who contributed, along with a list of those businesses who were asked to contribute but did not.. And, make a concerted, planned effort to find one or more long-term corporate sponsors.

If being in the Adams Center after midnight is costing more money, then make a concerted effort to be done by that time. It has been done in the past. Eliminate all specials and honor dances except two. Allow one honor dance on Friday night for all families who want to honor students and one honor dance on Saturday night for the club itself. Limiting time for royatly specials and giveaways needs to be given serious consideration. And, some simple things like using only odd numbers in awarding points will help with eliminating ties and the need for runoffs, tallying points and handing out prizes for the completed categories while still completing the remaining categories, will all help move the powwow along.

I attended the Kyi-powwow this year. I was one of the competition dancers. While the dance did seem smaller than in some years, for the most part I enjoyed myself as I always do. However, I left right after my dance competition, and was not around when whatever happened later took place. Whatever happened could have been avoided, or at least minimized in the sense of anger and frustration by simply communicating honestly. If any lesson is learned here, let be that.

Good luck and Creator’s blessings to all the Club members, past, present and future. Blessings too to all the drummers, dancers, students and families, that all travel safely on your journey through powwow country this summer and through life.

Joe M.

Jodi Rave