Sycuan holds 33rd annual powwow this weekend

The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation will hold their 33rd annual powwow this weekend, featuring their first indigenous fashion show.

The powwow features a variety of competitions from indigenous dance styles, drum troupes, hand drums, and Kumeyaay bird song. Held Friday through Sunday at 5577 Dehesa Road in El Cajon, the event is free and visitors will be able to shop at vendors selling indigenous crafts, buy food like fried bread tacos, watch dancers perform, and listen to different styles of traditional music, music native american.

During the grand entrance, all of the powwow dancers will enter the arena to the sound of drum troupes, which will include host drummer Wakinyan Luta from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The grand entrance will take place on Friday at 8pm at 1pm and on Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 1pm.

Powwow coordinator Julie LaBrake, who has helped organize the annual event for about a decade, said the grand entrance is one of her favorite events to watch. When the dancers enter the arena, she enjoys “being surrounded by all the beauty, the colors of the dresses, the colors of the regalia, all of just being there.”

Dancers at this year’s powwow will be led by Principal Tia Wood, Principal Dana Warrington, Youth Principal Wanbli Bull Bear and Youth Principal Aydrian Day. Ashley Garcia will serve as head dance judge and Mister Baker as head song judge, and this year’s presenters are Ruben Little Head, Ral Christmas and…