Powwow season is in full bloom.
This summer, the Arlee Celebration was held over the Fourth of July weekend in Arlee, Montana. The five-day powwow, hosted by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, welcomed hundreds of dancers and singers from across the U.S. and Canada to compete in various categories divided by age groups. Children, teenagers, men, women and elders each participated in fancy dance, traditional style, chicken dance, grass dance and jingle dance, with outfits designed for specific categories.
Because of the pandemic, this summer is the first in two years that many families were able to travel for the powwow season, which begins in April and ends in September. Families, dancers and singers from across the country spend their summer living out of their vehicles, camping and traveling the circuit of powwows, known as the powwow trail, with these gatherings held by different tribal communities every weekend throughout the season.
The photographer @tailyrirvine attended the Arlee Celebration to meet powwow participants and photograph their regalia. Tap the link in bio to meet and see more participants from the powwow. Photos by @tailyrirvine.
