Florida’s longest-running intertribal powwow returns to St. Lucie County

St. Lucie County, Fl (treasurecoast.com) -Florida’s longest-running intertribal powwow returns to St. Lucie County this weekend.

The Florida Indian Heritage Association’s 55th annual powwow, a three-day event at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds, falls on the fourth weekend of March every year — except for last year when it was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The powwow started in 1965 and was founded by three Ponca Tribe singers as the Florida Indian Hobbyist Association, said board President Richard Gallant.

The nonprofit changed its name in 2018 because of cultural appropriation, as people thought “hobbyist” had a negative connotation, he said.

“It’s not a hobby,” Gallant said. “To call it a ‘hobbyist association’ makes it sound like you get dressed up on the weekends, you go play Indian and then go home on Monday.”

The goal of the powwow is to educate the public about Native American culture through song and dance.

The powwow features leaders and groups from the Seminole, Lakota Sioux, Kiowa, Cherokee, Ponca and other tribes.

It includes intertribal dancing, a crafts competition, tipi and re-enactment villages, educational seminars, Native American cuisine and over 30 vendors selling and trading beads, leather goods, herbs, pottery and more.

Florida’s longest-running intertribal powwow returns to St. Lucie County

FIHA lost about $4,000 last year because the county banned large events to stop the spread of COVID-19 just two weeks before the powwow was scheduled.

FIHA also has been running the Thunder on the Beach Powwow at the Indian River County Fairgrounds since 2019, which falls on the third weekend of February. The 2020 powwow happened just before COVID-19 hit the Treasure Coast on March 19.