Chickahominy Youth Pow-Wow builds gateway for future leadership

The intertribal welcome dance led by several youth took center stage at the first ever Chickahominy Youth Pow-wow held Saturday afternoon in Charles City.

Andre' Jones photo

It started as a conversation in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. Now it’s a gateway and learning experience for years to come.

The first ever Chickahominy Youth Pow-Wow took place Saturday afternoon on the tribal grounds in Charles City. And with 500 people in attendance, it’s fair to say that it was a success. But the process didn’t happen overnight. In fact, the idea started roughly a year ago.

As Samantha Spires and Nyla Brown sat in the parking lot, the duo spoke about how to get youth involved into more cultural events for not only the Chickahominy Tribe, but for all Native American nations.

“We wanted to find ways to give the youth something to do,” commented Nyla Brown. “It was something we have been thinking about for a year, and we wanted to create a gateway for them to learn about our culture.”

Spires and Brown were later joined by Olivia Adkins and Maddy Adkins on the planning process in creating the youth pow-wow. But behind the scenes, more work was being done as it would be a grant that really pushed the project into high gear.

“We received the Circle of Grace grant and that was key to this,” commented Chickahominy Second Assistant Chief Troy Adkins. “So in the last six to seven months, it gave us traction to move forward with this.”

But this wasn’t an ordinary pow-wow. Once the idea was met with formal approval, it would be the youth of the tribal community that took the lead. Through mentorship from elders, the young coordinated everything from logistics to planned activities. And planning the event wasn’t limited for just the youth from the Chickahominy Tribe.

“The event isn’t just for the Chickahominy youth, but for all tribes,” Adkins said. “The elders are getting older and we are trying to foster others to take our place.

“Fostering leadership is key and we value our youth,” he continued. “The youth organized this, they planned it, and today you can see their hard work.”

The Chickahominy Tribal Grounds buzzed with excitement as the younger generation took the lead. Younger adults such as Keenan Stewart as the Master of Ceremonies and Christian Stewart as the Arena Director garnered mentorship from those who held the positions before them. Youth took center stage from welcoming guests through interactions, dance, and education.

“I am very excited that this,” Brown said. “It helps put our culture forward.

“The biggest thing I want people to take away from this event is that no matter your culture, background, who you are or where you are from, we are all the same,” she added. “Events like this are created to get others to learn and understand. If they do that, then people will see that we are more alike than they think. If we are able to understand that, then this world will be a better place.”

The pow-wow also had a meaningful purpose beyond what any logistics or planning could comprehend. Several young tribal members who may be overshadowed or nervous about performing at the regular Chickahominy Fall Festival Pow-wow were given the spotlight, with many of them dancing for the first time. The festival even introduced the Tiny Tot Candy Dance, a dance similar to the game of musical chairs where once the music stopped, they are able to pick up candy in the center of the arena. But when the music began again, so did the dancing.

As the event continues to grow, so does the transition process, something that Adkins commented on for the event’s future.

“This is event is a reminder that we need to continue to support the youth,” he said. “The youth doesn’t get enough credit on the stuff they do or how they represent the community.

“Supporting them at events like this will help their self-esteem,” Adkins added. “We should all value the youth of the community, and I know this event is going to be successful from this day on.”

And from a conversation that started in a parking lot over a meal, it was evident that the future of the Chickahominy Youth Pow-Wow will be well-fed for generations to come.