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Look: 'Spring Thaw Pow Wow'

Brown University’s “Spring Thaw Pow Wow” attracted Wampanoags, Mohawks, Mi’kmaqs, Lakotas and others from across the region to the Providence college yesterday for an afternoon of Native American dancing and drumming.

The 12th annual event, organized by the university student organization Native Americans at Brown and the school's Native American Heritage Series, was held inside the school’s Pizzitola Sports Center, after poor weather prompted worries about holding it outdoors as usual.

The “Spring Thaw Pow Wow” is one of the first powwows in the region each year. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst hosts a powwow on April 20. The Harvard University Native American Program holds its 18th annual powwow on April 27 in Cambridge.

The men's grass dance "is characterized by the graceful swaying movement of the dance, resembling grass blowing across the plains," according to organizers of the "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
The men's grass dance "is characterized by the graceful swaying movement of the dance, resembling grass blowing across the plains," according to organizers of the "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
The jingle dress dance is characterized by the ringing of tin cones sewn onto the women's dresses. The sound is "meant to ward off evil spirits," organizers say. (Greg Cook)
The jingle dress dance is characterized by the ringing of tin cones sewn onto the women's dresses. The sound is "meant to ward off evil spirits," organizers say. (Greg Cook)
Women's fancy shawl dance. (Greg Cook)
Women's fancy shawl dance. (Greg Cook)
Men's fancy dance. (Greg Cook)
Men's fancy dance. (Greg Cook)
The 'Eastern Blanket Dance" is a "slow and graceful" dance "to represent the honored role of a woman as giver of life and the keeper of the family," according to organizers. (Greg Cook)
The 'Eastern Blanket Dance" is a "slow and graceful" dance "to represent the honored role of a woman as giver of life and the keeper of the family," according to organizers. (Greg Cook)
The 'Eastern Blanket Dance." (Greg Cook)
The 'Eastern Blanket Dance." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
Intertribal dance at Brown University's "Spring Thaw Pow Wow." (Greg Cook)
The jingle dress dance. (Greg Cook)
The jingle dress dance. (Greg Cook)

This article was originally published on April 14, 2013.

This program aired on April 14, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

Headshot of Greg Cook

Greg Cook Arts Reporter
Greg Cook was an arts reporter and critic for WBUR's The ARTery.

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