Pow Wow Trail, Episode 4: The Grand Entry

Genres - Culture & Society  |   Sub-Genres - Religions & Belief Systems, Social Issues  |   Countries - United States  |  
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Synopsis by Nathan Southern

The Native American "powwow" functions as a vital element of that society. Despite years of trivialization in American sociocultural lore, the powwow embodies the Native American means of communing with the spiritual realm and thus is of peerless importance among American Indians. The Pow Wow Trail documentary series attempts to counter the growing trivialization of the powwow by exploring the meaning and legacy of the songs and dances that belie it. Pow Wow Trail Vol. 4: The Grand Entry hones in on the dance aspects of the powwow, detailing how and why the "grand entry" of dancers needs to occur. The program incorporates footage of various powwow dance styles, explains the symbology of the eagle archetype, and recounts the ritual that needs to be performed when a feather falls amid a circle of powwow dancers.

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Keywords

Native-American, powwow, ritual, society, songs, spiritual