Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons^™

Powwows As An Arena For Pan-Indian Identity Formation, Megan L. Macdonald

Masters Theses

This study investigates the powwow and its role in pan-Indian identity formation. Powwows are regional gatherings that simultaneously employ sacred and secular rituals, and as such, they provide one arena for the negotiation of American Indian identity in the modern world. Through a discussion of the history and general format of the powwow, I will demonstrate that the powwow is a dynamic locus of cultural transmission through which both reservation and non-reservation Indians are able to construct and maintain identity on tribal as well as inter-tribal (pan-Indian) levels.

To illuminate the process of identity formation within the powwow, this study …