"Hozhoni," a Navajo word meaning "beauty," also conveys a deeper sense of harmony and balance.
The celebration began in 1966 with the Shalako Indian Club, the early form of today's Wanbli Ota student organization at Fort Lewis College. That small gathering evolved into a magnificent two-day contest powwow filled with vibrant colors and powerful dances.
Clyde Benally, a Fort Lewis College student now known as the "Father of Hozhoni Days," envisioned an event to unite students, share Native cultures, and showcase their richness to the college and wider community like participant Jaron Yazzie, from Farmington, New Mexico.
“I'm Navajo and Apache, and I came here to dance the men's fancy dance, originally a war dance from Oklahoma,” Yazzie explained.
He added that he grew up dancing fancy at powwows across the US and Canada, following a family tradition. "I haven't been powwowing lately, but I'm glad to be back and fill them songs again.”
For many, powwow is a way of life passed down through generations. Thirteen-year-old Liam Yazzie, from Chinle, Arizona, said, “I've been dancing since I could walk. My dad and my brother taught me.”
Lily Grant, who started dancing as a baby, spoke about her family's travels to powwows: "My family likes to travel and go to powwows to express our way of dancing. I'm a jingle dress dancer. In the old ways, this dance was for healing." Grant explained that the jingle dress dance was believed to heal those who watched.
Throughout the event, dancers showcased beautiful regalia with intricate designs and colors. Sharon Broke Shoulder explained, "The style of clothing I wear is Southern cloth from Oklahoma. My husband is Shawnee, so I've adopted that style. But I'm Navajo and Southern Ute, and I've always enjoyed coming to the Fort Lewis College powwow.”
Gabriel Montoya, whose daughter attends FLC, was joined by his family, including his nine-year-old son, Christian Montoya, who traveled from Bay Mills, Michigan. Christian was encouraged to begin with traditional dance before moving to fancy dance.
"He's really starting to get excited," said Gabriel. "And he's just about ready. So tonight, he proclaimed he's going to do fancy dance as well as grass. So we've got a long road ahead of us next year.”
Christian shared his excitement about dancing, "It is fun, and you have to dance with your heart."
KSUT thanks our local news sponsor, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, for their support.
