After a yearlong hiatus, the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (UIATF) Pow Wow is back.
UIATF will host its 28th-annual Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow on Friday, July 17, through Sunday, July 19 at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center (5011 Bernie Whitebear Way) in Discovery Park.
The three-day event features hundreds of traditional Native American and Alaskan Native drummers and dancers in traditional regalia, along with Native American arts and crafts and traditional food. The event averages more than 15,000 visitors.
Funding and staff cuts forced the UIATF to cancel the event in 2012 and 2014. Although the nonprofit says it still struggles with financial challenges and is reducing staff, the Pow Wow committee and volunteers raised $20,000 of the $120,000 needed to event in its self-imposed 30-day deadline through a GoFundme campaign. More than 3,600 supporters helped reach the goal in 23 days, through a mixture of social media, word-of-mouth and sponsorships.
An anonymous long-time Seattle resident and Pow Wow attendee made a major contribution as support slowed with seven days remaining.
UIATF executive director Joey Gray said the organization is a long way from getting back to its financial heydays, but it is on its way to recovery.
“We’ve obviously had some organization-wide struggles over the past couple years,” she said. “The return of the Pow Wow really symbolizes the stability that we’re gaining and the reemergence of United Indians.”
For more information, visit www.unitedindians.org/seafair-pow-wow.