Pášx̣apa Powwow Returns to Whitman on Saturday

Whitman College is honored to host the second annual Pášx̣apa Powwow on Saturday, May 3, at Sherwood Athletic Center. This gathering brings together tribal leaders, honored guests, dancers and drummers from across the Pacific Northwest in celebration of Indigenous culture, tradition and community.

The Pášx̣apa Powwow is part of Whitman’s broader commitment to honoring the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Through this event, we aim to uplift Native student support, increase visibility of the Šináata Scholarship, and build a more meaningful presence for Indigenous representation across campus.

Powwows hold deep cultural meaning across Native communities. They are spaces of connection, where stories are carried through song, where identity is affirmed through movement, and where community gathers across generations. The Pášx̣apa Powwow is a living expression of cultural resilience and innovation.

The CTUIR, made up of the Weyíiletpuu (Cayuse), Imatalamłáma (Umatilla), and Walúulapam (Walla Walla) peoples, are the original stewards of this region. These Tribes have lived in what is now known as eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington since time immemorial. Following the Treaty of 1855, the U.S. government confined them to a fraction of their homelands, establishing the Umatilla Indian Reservation, resulting in the Tribes ceding over 6 million acres of land to preserve traditional lifeways and in an effort to bring peace.

In 2017, Whitman College and the CTUIR signed the original MOA that formally recognizes this history and lays the groundwork for a reciprocal relationship. This includes shared commitments to expand Indigenous student pathways, create programming grounded in Native knowledge, and offer spaces of belonging for Native students on campus. The Pášx̣apa Powwow is a key component of this work—rooted in relationship, accountability and celebration.

This powwow is open to all. We invite the Whitman and Walla Walla Valley communities to join us in a celebration of culture, kinship and Native excellence.

Powwow Schedule Information

Pre-Powwow Learning Series:

• Wednesday, April 30, at 6 p.m.
  “Tipis 101” with Fred Hill Sr., Cordiner Hall, South Lawn
• Friday, May 2, at 4 p.m.
  “Powwow Etiquette” with Jeanine Gordon, Olin Auditorium

Pášx̣apa Powwow, Saturday, May 3, Sherwood Athletic Center:

• 11:30 a.m.—Opening Remarks and Prayer
• Noon—Grand Entry, Drumming and Dancing
• 4 p.m.—Break
• 6 p.m.—Grand Entry, Drumming and Dancing