The Native American Intertribal Festival and Traditional Powwow was being held in the expo center in Colorado Springs. The small parking lot was packed but we pulled up just as someone was leaving.

I was unclear as to what they wish to be called. In the old days, it was Indians. Then we were told to be political correct with Native Americans. But it still seemed to be a random mixture and no one really seemed to care.

We entered the great hall. Drums and chanting filled the air while in the center circle, men and women wearing traditional outfits danced traditional dances. Sometimes they took turns... just the men, just the women, sometimes with audience participation. This was actually a competition. There was a moderator and winners were selected based on different criteria.

The dance circle

The drummers and chanters

A wide range of ornate and colorful outfits

WATCH A VIDEO OF ONE OF THE DANCES

Lining the edges of the building were numerous arts and crafts stands. The Rocky Mountain Wildlife Federation even had a live wolf exhibit. Technically Baby was half wolf, half husky. She was 9-years-old and a rescue. In the wild, wolves only live 5 - 8 years, yet 12 - 14 in captivity.

We returned to the ring to watch the highly entertaining potato dance. A couple had to hold up a potato between their foreheads... although it quickly switched to cheek, nose, eye, whatever worked!

Ouch!

Hanging in there!

To make it even more difficult, the participants had to perform various stunts such as going down to their knees.