Last year’s inaugural event drew hundreds of visitors and revived a tradition of hosting a major Native American cultural gathering at HSU. For about 14 years, HSU hosted a powwow on campus. That tradition ended in 2004, but a few years later, students became interested in hosting a similar event, said Mona Mazzotti, Outreach and Social Justice Programs Coordinator for the MultiCultural Center.
Chag Lowry, an HSU alum and program officer for the Native Cultures Fund at the Humboldt Area Foundation, talked with Native American students at HSU in 2007 about the idea of a big time and offered the support from the Native Cultures Fund if the students were able to organize the event. The students took up Lowry on his offer and planned the big time, a gathering native to California tribes. Where a powwow more resembles a dance competition, Mazzotti and Lowry said, a big time is focused on the sharing of culture.
“There will be performers from the local tribes as well as tribes from all over California,” Mazzotti said. “One group traveling the furthest is the Haida Heritage from Washington state.”
“The event is not designed for entertainment purposes,” Lowry explained. “These groups are demonstrating their sacred knowledge—that’s what native people are taught to do; to share our native knowledge, but not with the concept of it being entertainment.
“For many non-native people it will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see these types of traditional dances, to hear the songs and to view the regalia. A lot of the songs and regalia being shared are to benefit all people, all human cultures. That’s what they pray for, that’s what they’re designed for—to benefit everybody.”
In addition to dancing, arts and crafts vendors, and traditional food, students from local schools will participate in a scavenger hunt on campus guided by HSU students.
“The idea is to get the local students familiar with campus and to let them know that there is a place here for them and that they can come to college locally,” Mazzotti said.
Along with the MultiCultural Center, the event is organized by the Native American Studies/Enduring Native Inherent Traditions Club, the American Indian Alliance, the Beta Sigma Epsilon Native Fraternity, the Center for Indian Community Development, the Council of American Indian Faculty & Staff, the Indian Natural Resource, Science & Engineering Program, the Indian Teacher & Educational Personnel Program and the Native American Studies Department. The Native Cultures Fund is the event’s largest sponsor.
The event is from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Donations that assist in providing visiting performers and vendors with food and lodging are much appreciated. Those wishing to donate or volunteer can contact Mazzotti at (707) 826-3369 or mmazzotti@humboldt.edu. In respect of the event’s sacred nature, organizers ask that no photographs or video be taken at the big time.