Kamloops hosts the West's biggest powwow

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Kamloops has made it to the Top 100 list of the American Bus Association. The Washington based organizations says the big event that put Kamloops on the map is the annual Kamloopa Powwow.

Recognized as one of North America's top tourist events, the powwow attracts Native dancers from across the continent and provides entertainment for the buses and carloads of spectators that come to experience true Native culture one weekend a year.

The success of the event goes to the organizers, the Kamloops Indian Band, made up of more than 700 members who occupy 13,355 hectares of land. Known as the Shuswap Nation, this community is believed to have occupied this region of B.C. for anything between 40 and 90 centuries.

The band's industrial parkland, agricultural and grazing lands, and historic and archeological sites extend 11 km up the North Thompson River, and 11 km up the South. The Kamloops Indian Band is also recognized across the nation for being a leader in economic initiative thanks to the near-200 non-Native businesses that lease land from, and pay taxes to, the Kamloops Band.

Cultural initiatives introduced to strengthen the Native culture in the region include, apart from the annual powwow, the establishment of the Kamloops Indian Residential School where children are now learning their heritage and the ways of their forefathers and mothers. Kamloops is also the proud owner of the first Indian-owned museum in B.C.'s interior.

With such a strong community base and a notably large turnout to the event, the Kamloops Powwow is becoming a big drawing card for the area. High Country Tourism Association spokesman Lee Morris says the bus tour trade is very important to the Kamloops area, and the city is now number three in the province as a destination point for bus tours.

This year's Kamloopa Powwow, on August 18, 19 and 20, is expected to attract 5,000 spectators daily and 1,000 participants to the new special events facility located along Highway 5, the Yellowhead in Kamloops. As preparations come to an end, organizers Freda Jules says confidently: "It's coming along smoothly."

Now in its 16th year, the annual powwow has become highly competitive with prize money reaching $43,000. Three days of dancing will follow what is expected to be the grandest of grand entries.

Categories of dance and drumming include the tiny tots competition, the traditional, fancy and grass dances performed by the juniors, teens and adults, with a special golden age section for those over 45.

Special categories of dance include team dancing, the owl dance, jingle dance, fancy feather dance and shawl dance, with a princess pageant also included in the line of events. The drumming competitions include a healthy pool of prize money for hand drumming.

Audience participation is never short at Kamloopa powwows and this year's event is no different with Intertribals held on each day of the program.

As with most Native gatherings, Native arts and crafts booths will be present, not only exhibiting the artistic talents of the Native peoples of the area, but also selling moccasins, berets, chest plates, belt buckles, ribbon shirts, key chains and almost anything else you can hope to have beaded.

Native cuisine is an added bonus of attending this cultural weekend. The bannock and fried bread should not be missed.

The Kamloopa Powwow is a great value for your money. A weekend pass can be bought for only $10 (or pay $5 per day) and a family of four will pay only $25. Group rates are also available

Accommodations:

Camping is allowed on the powwow grounds and in the nearby RV parks, while the comforts of hotels and motels can be enjoyed in the nearby Valley View area or in downtown Kamloops. Visitors will find everything close by.

Other Activities

A trip on the MV Wanda-Sue, a locally built 26-metre stern-wheeler running two-hour cruises up and down the river is a must.

Special tours can be arranged so that groups can enjoy a unique experiene.