Each year on the third weekend in May, the flags of many nations fly above Central Louisiana, when indigenous dancers from all over the United States bring a celebration of Native American unity, resilience, and legacy to Marksville. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe’s annual Pow Wow, which features competitive dancing, traditional drum performances, and authentic crafts, serves as a sacred homecoming, uniting tribes from all over the country in honoring their collective history while educating the public through story and song. This year’s twenty-eighth annual Pow Wow takes place May 16—17. All are welcome to attend.
"When we come together in song, dance and prayer, we reaffirm who we are as a people and ensure that our traditions continue to live on for future generations.”
—Marshall Pierite, Tunica-Biloxi Chairman
For indigenous tribal members and visitors alike, the Pow Wow provides an opportunity to gather together, socialize, honor one another’s cultures, enjoy music and dance, and bond as a community, according to Paulette Voiselle, tribal liaison for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. Voiselle noted that this year’s festivities will honor John D. Barbry, an icon of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe and a respected figure throughout Native communities nationwide, who passed away earlier this year. Barbry served as Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Pow Wow Committee since 1995, sustaining one of the Tribe’s most powerful and enduring cultural traditions.
“The Pow Wow is a sacred time for our Tribe, a time to gather in unity, reflect on the strength and resilience of our people, and celebrate the spirit that connects Native communities across generations,” said Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Marshall Pierite. “As we host the John Barbry Memorial Pow Wow, we do so with gratitude and remembrance, honoring John’s legacy and all those we have lost who helped shape our path forward. When we come together in song, dance and prayer, we reaffirm who we are as a people and ensure that our traditions continue to live on for future generations.”
Indigenous Americans celebrate their Native heritage through dance in Marksville, LA.
The Drum - Heartbeat of the Pow Wow
For tribal elders and first-time visitors alike, a pow wow’s drum performances serve as the pulse that drives the entire event. Known as the "heartbeat of the nation," the drum and the singers that surround it provide the rhythm that dictates every activity within Tunica-Biloxi Pow Wow’s dance arena, with drums and drummers representing various tribes, regions and styles taking part. This year’s Pow Wow welcomes Host Drum and Invited Drum groups including Southern Host Drum Pawnee Yellow Horse and Northern Host Drum Meskwaki Nation. They will be joined by Southern Invited Drum Ottertrail and Northern Invited Drum Mato Pejuta. Spectators can expect dance competitions featuring participants from ages six to fifty-five and older, and upwards of thirty vendors selling indigenous arts, jewelry, handmade crafts, and traditional foods. In addition to the regular festivities, the Tribe will also host an Education Day on May 15, offering students and school groups interactive cultural learning opportunities through song, dance, storytelling, and exhibits.
“It’s being together … honoring that, and having our ceremonies, and letting everybody see what we celebrate, and why we do what we do,” said tribal liaison Paulette Voiselle.
The 28th annual Tunica-Biloxi Pow Wow is open to the public May 15—16, with doors opening at 10 am each day. Visit tunicabiloxi.org for additional scheduling and ticketing details.
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