Photos by Wendy Thompson and DC Spotlight Newspaper
The Rappahannock tribe of Indian Neck, Virginia held its annual pow wow at the Belle Grove Plantation in King George, Virginia on Saturday and Sunday. The traditional old style dancing was performed on Saturday and the contemporary style was performed on Sunday. The host and MC of the event was Dennis Zotigh. The lead dancers were Josephine Tarrant Richardson and Will Richardson of the Rappahannock tribe. The host drummers were Stoney Creek and the guest drummers were Red Clay and the Zotigh Singers.
Contests for old style and contemporary dancing were held for both gift prizes and cash prizes. On the last day of the Pow Wow, kids of all ages, races, and ethnicities came together and danced to the Native American drums and chants. The event was held at the Belle Grove Plantation where the Rappahannock tribes once lived decades ago and one of many celebrations of National Indigenous Peoples Month in October. October 9th is Indigenous Peoples Day.
Native American artist Ned Barton and co-artist Crystal Marmon, both of the Lumbee Tribe stands at their wood art vendor’s table.
Diona Kakinohana, of the Piscataway Tribe, stands with her husband and daughter Kitty, who was a jewelry vendor at the pow wow.
