Amherst Celebrates the Fifth Annual Odenong Powwow

The fifth annual Odenong Powwow brought together Native people and other community members at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School May 24 and 25 to celebrate Native cultures from across the Americas, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands.

The Odenong Powwow is the only one of its kind in the area, bringing travelers from beyond the local area to culturally express themselves. This year's celebration featured top Native drum groups, dancers from different Nations, and hula performances. The event also hosted vendors selling items such as handcrafted jewelry, home decor, seeds, and other items. 

Tribes such as Ojibwe, Odawa, and Mohawk, and others were all in attendance. The attendees, Native and non-Native alike were able to share in this cultural experience. “It is an opportunity to show non-Native people who we are, directly from us.” Says the event founder, Justin Beatty.

Beatty founded the Odenong Powwow in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the intention of showcasing Native culture, and bringing the community together during a period of isolation. The inability to host Powwows had an impact on Native communities, and the turnout for the virtual Powwow prompted Beatty to turn it into a physical, annual event.

“TV and movies and books… are often well-meaning, but they usually only give a snapshot… It’s a much different experience when you can come.. and see for yourself, and talk to people and ask questions… It’s an opportunity for people to learn and hopefully have a good time.” Beatty says. Ultimately, his hope is that the event will get people interested in examining their own history, “We all come from indigenous people somewhere in the world.” The event aims to be a starting point for people on that path to connection.

For now, the Odenong Powwow relies on community spaces. But looking forward, the organizers aspire for Powwow grounds to be gifted back to Native communities. Much of Amherst and the surrounding area falls on the land of the Nipmuc people, whose history in the region dates back thousands of years.