'Honoring the People': Beartracks Powwow hosted in Missoula

Many dancers, four drums and various vendors filled the Caras Park pavilion on Monday morning, Oct. 12, despite the cold weather, for the Missoula Indigenous Peoples' Day Powwow, now in its fifth year.

The event, backed by the Salish Culture Committee, began in 2022 to commemorate the renaming of the Bear Tracks Bridge, previously called the Higgins Avenue Bridge. Missoula County renamed it to honor the land’s history and its Aboriginal territory, in collaboration with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

At the start of the event, CSKT Council Chairman Martin Charlo welcomed everyone to the powwow before the Grand Entry. Elder Mary Jane Billideux gave a prayer and some words of encouragement to the dancers and drummers to open the ceremony.

Kyle Felsman served as MC, entertaining the crowd with some native humor and quick jokes between categories. Ardon McDonald served as arena director, ensuring the powwow ran smoothly for everyone involved. Laurencia Starblanket was head woman dancer, and Lexx Pierre was the head man dancer.

Dancers competed in men's and women's fancy, men's and women’s traditional, women’s jingle, tiny tots, golden ages, and men’s chicken categories. Starblanket also hosted a special for grandmothers, mothers and older sisters. Four of the winners received gift bags. The first-place winner also received a Pendleton blanket, a ribbon skirt, a ribbon shirt and a cash prize with their gift bag.

Head man dancer Lexx Pierre hosted a round bustle/drop bustle special with the first-place prize being a first printing of ledger art titled “Bitterroot Trails” from the 1930s worth $1,000 and cash to three winners that was collected through a 50/50 drawing before and during the powwow.

Vendors included artists selling handmade beadwork, S&K Technologies, the University of Montana, Simply 406, SKHA’s Healing Through Housing Program, American Indigenous Business Leaders at Salish Kootenai College, The Kapi Shop and Fat Baby Frybread.

Congressional candidates who attended were invited to speak about their campaigns, including Shelly Fiant, who spoke about her upcoming run to be re-elected as the House Representative for District 91. The committee and council shared that they have no affiliation with any of the candidates but wanted to give people a chance to hear from them.    Grand Entry for Honoring the People Powwow at Caras Park in Downtown Missoula. (Kiersten Mahseelah/Char-Koosta News)

 Jordan Stasso competes in the Men's Prairie Chicken category of the Honoring the People Powwow on Indigenous Peoples' Day. (Kiersten Mahseelah/Char-Koosta News)