The powwow is a public celebration and demonstration of community pride in Indian culture and a way of honoring Native American heritage. At the present time, there are powwows held in all fifty states and in most of the Canadian provinces. Some are held on reservations and reserves, while others are held in places such as universities and colleges. One of the common dances at many of these powwows is the women’s jingle dress dance.
The jingle dress dance regalia is distinctive: the dress is ideally adorned with 365 visible jingles which are metal cones made from chewing tobacco can lids. The dance is Anishinabe in origin and was developed from a dream or vision which appeared to a Midewiwin medicine man. Shown below are some of the jingle dress dancers at the 45th annual Kyi-Yo powwow at the University of Montana in Missoula.
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