Big turnout boosts White Earth Powwow this year

Blue skies and sunshine brought out the crowds for the White Earth Powwow this weekend. Drum groups played for the hundreds of people (young, old and in between) who signed up to dance the powwow circle.

The stands were full of spectators, and there was no shortage of people wanting fry bread tacos at vendor stands on Saturday afternoon.

The 153rd Annual White Earth Treaty Day Celebration and Pow Wow started at 1 p.m. Friday and runs through Sunday at the Powwow Grounds in White Earth village.

There were adult dance contests, singing contests, youth dance contests and a White Earth royalty contest. People came from all over, and the campgrounds at the powwow grounds were busy on Saturday as well.

“Just living the good life,” said White Earth tribal member Stan Alexander, of Long Lost Lake, who was sitting in the shade at a campground Saturday.

Officiating the celebration were master of ceremonies Vince Beyl, Frankie Graves and Grace Roberts; arena directors Lucas Hisgun and Jimmy Uran; and spiritual advisor Allen Hardy.

1/3: Stan Alexander of Long Lost Lake sits in the shade of his pickup truck in a campground at the White Earth Powwow Grounds Saturday afternoon. (Nathan Bowe/Tribune)

2/3: Carmine Day-Bedeau, 13 (left), and Ambrose Day-Bedeau, 16, talk at the Powwow Grounds in White Earth Saturday. The brothers are from Oneida, Wis. (Nathan Bowe/Tribune)

3/3: Christopher LeGarde of Grand Portgage, Minn., dances at the White Earth Powwow Saturday. (Nathan Bowe/Tribune)