Last Updated on May 8, 2026 by Jordan Monaco
Before the first dancer stepped into the arena, before the first Grand Entry song carried through the speakers, you could already feel it building inside the McCrae Activity Center at Blue Mountain Community College.
The sound of laughter near vendor tables.
Children running between chairs in tiny moccasins and jingles.
Families embracing after long drives across state lines.
The steady heartbeat of drums warming up in the background.
And then, just like that, the circle came alive.
This year’s BMCC Spring Powwow, hosted by the Native American Student Alliance (NASA) Club, welcomed more than 400 dancers, singers, families, students, and community members throughout the day. Visitors traveled from across the Northwest and as far as El Dorado, Kansas and Logan, Utah to be part of something that, for many, feels less like an event and more like coming home.
Inside the arena, 123 registered dancers moved in rhythm to the songs of 12 visiting drums, while vend ors lined the outer edges of the gathering sharing food, artwork, beadwork, and handmade items that carried stories and traditions of their own. Elders watched proudly from the stands. Young dancers stepped carefully into the circle beside seasoned veterans. Between songs, hugs were exchanged as often as words.
For some, powwows are where traditions are passed down. For others, they are where identity is strengthened, friendships are renewed, and community is rebuilt in real time.
“Powwows kind of just bring everybody together,” shared one powwow dancing participant during the event. “We’re all family here. Everybody has a good time, and you can feel the love and happiness around everybody.”
That feeling of connection was exactly what organizers hoped people would carry with them.
“When you looked around the arena, you saw generations together, you saw community together, and you saw people feeling proud of who they are and where they come from,” said Shaundeen Smith, CTUIR Tribal Navigator at BMCC. “That’s what makes gatherings like this so important. It creates a space where people feel welcomed, seen, connected, and celebrated. Seeing our students, families, and community members come together in that way was incredibly meaningful.”
The success of this year’s event was made possible through the support of many partners and organizations, including the Wildhorse Foundation, CTUIR Higher Education, CTUIR Board of Trustees, Associated Student Government (ASG), the Art & Culture Committee, and DEI. Their support helped continue a gathering that celebrates culture, strengthens community, and creates meaningful spaces of belonging at BMCC.
Throughout the day, the energy inside the arena shifted naturally between celebration and reflection. The drums shook the bleachers. Tiny dancers practiced steps near the sidelines. Community members who had never attended a powwow before sat beside families who have participated their entire lives.
And for a few hours in Pendleton, people from different places, generations, and backgrounds all moved together to the same beat.
As the final songs echoed through the arena and chairs slowly emptied, the feeling left behind was hard to describe—but easy to recognize.
It felt like belonging.