Powwow held in Castle Pines during Labor Day weekend
The powwow is held at Tall Bull Memorial Park, just off of Daniels Gate Road. The traditional attire and dancing are
amazing!
Two Lakota Sioux, also Vietnam War veterans, competed in the intertribal dance competitions at the powwow. Native Americans from many local and state-wide tribes were at the powwow.
Article and photos by Liz Jurkowski
For those of us who drive Daniels Gate Road, we have often passed a small wooden sign on the west side of the road not far from the turn for Griggs Road. The sign reads “Tall Bull Memorial Park” and stands just inside the barbed wire fence, next to a closed gate.
A year ago, the gate was open with a sign saying “Powwow Today, Public Welcome.” I drove right past it, thinking, “I wonder what that’s all about.” This year, during Labor Day weekend, when I drove past that same sign again, I decided to turn around. I drove down the narrow dirt road, over giant cow chips and through thick scrub oak bushes, to a small parking lot next to a rather large wooden arena. I found myself in the middle of an outstanding cultural event!
It was an intertribal Native American powwow, with dancing, singing, drumming, and fantastic food. Members from many local and Colorado-wide tribes come every year to share, trade, and compete in age-level dance competitions. I could not take my eyes off of the exquisite dresses and tunics the people were wearing during the dances, and was amazed by the huge span of ages representing the many tribes who were present.
Next year, when the gate is open and the Powwow sign is up, make sure you travel down that tiny dirt road. It is an outstanding opportunity to experience the history of Colorado right here in our neighborhood.
