Your Voice Your Community

Actions

‘Every dance has a meaning’ at Great American Indian Expo and Pow-Wow

Posted at 9:19 PM, Nov 09, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-09 21:19:50-05

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The 26th annual Great American Indian Exposition and Pow-Wow celebrating Native American culture took place at the Richmond Raceway this weekend.

The three-day event featured more than 100 American Indian dancers, singers, drummers and traditional crafts and food.

“Pow-wows are kind of a Pan-Indian celebration where many drums, many tribes [from] all over the country come together to celebrate,” Schirra Gray said.

Gray, who has been dancing since he was six years old, said song and dance have been part of pow-wows for hundreds of years.

"Every dance has a meaning behind it," Gray said. "When we dance and sing, we dance for those that cannot dance anymore, those that are sick, that have passed on. And we are trying to keep our culture going based on keeping our society and keeping our ancestors proud of us.”

November is Native American Indian Heritage Month, which was established in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush.

WTVR CBS 6 Photojournalist Ian Ramprashad stopped by Saturday and filed the above video report.