powwow
5
8.0
- noun
- /ˈpaʊˌwaʊ/
- US
:
powwow
- Multicultural events included an international dinner, Native American Powwow, and ethnic dancing, storytelling, and cultural performances.
- intertribal powwow
- powwow dances
- powwow songs
Examples
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Through the performance of the Gourd Dance, powwows become vehicles perpetuating a sense of "Kiowaness."
Academic text (1994) -
Black Elk and the Cheyennes are going west to hold a powwow with the Shoshones.
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Now, our first stop is the big Indian powwow.
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They're holding a powwow over there now.
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When Joseph and his family arrived at the powwow, many people were already setting up their tents.
Fiction book (1997) -
Not all tribes participate in powwows, although the powwow is now widespread across North America.
Academic text (2003) -
Communitas works well to describe contemporary powwows, where the participants unite as a dance community.
Academic text (1994) -
Every summer, families gather at the annual powwow to celebrate their heritage and share traditional dances.
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During the powwow, participants can enjoy drum circles, storytelling sessions, and vibrant cultural displays.
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At the powwow, elders shared stories while the younger generation learned about their customs and traditions.
Synonyms
47
1.4
An act of collecting people or things into one place
A meeting in Māori culture where people talk about important things
How Formal
Surface Forms
Etymology
Powwow comes from a Native American Algonquian word powaw that meant a 'spiritual leader' or the 'ceremony' that leader held, so it originally named a gathering with music, dance, and ritual. That's why a powwow still means a meeting or celebration of a community's traditions.