Pášx̣apa Powwow

Whitman College held the second Pášx̣apa Powwow at the Sherwood Athletic Center on Saturday, May 3, 2025. This event brought together tribal leaders, honored guests, drummers, dancers and vendors from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Read more and see photographs in Scenes From the 2nd Annual Pášxapa Powwow article in Whitman Stories.

2026 Pášx̣apa Powwow

The 2026 Pášx̣apa Powwow will take place May 2, 2026.

Powwow Drum Registration

We are currently at capacity and are not accepting further drum registrations.

Powwow Dancer Registration

We welcome dancers to register for the following categories:

• Tiny Tots (1-6)
• Golden Age Men (55+)
• Golden Age Women (55+)
• Men's Fancy/Grass (18-54)
• Women's Fancy/Jingle (18-54)
• Men's Traditional (18-54)
• Women's Traditional (18-54)
• Teen Boys Fancy/Grass (13-17)
• Teen Girls Fancy/Jingle (13-17)
• Teen Boys Traditional (13-17)
• Teen Girls Traditional (13-17)
• Boys Fancy/Grass (7-12)
• Girls Fancy/Jingle (7-12)
• Boys Traditional (7-12)
• Girls Traditional (7-12)

Please complete a separate 2026 Pášx̣apa Powwow Dancer Registration for each category in which you plan to complete.

Powwow Vendor Registration

We are currently not accepting further vendor registrations.

Powwow Volunteer Registration

Community volunteers will make the 2026 Pášx̣apa Powwow an incredible success by helping with some of the important aspects of the day. Please refer to the 2026 Pášx̣apa Powwow Volunteer Registration for more information and to sign up as a volunteer. Volunteer registration closes Thursday, April 23.

Pášx̣apa Powwow Mission Statement

The mission of the Pášx̣apa Powwow is to support the Memorandum of Agreement between Whitman College and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and strengthen Native American outreach, Šináata Scholarship outreach, Native American representation, and Native American student support. Whitman College is working to move forward in a positive relationship with the CTUIR recognizing the history of this region, honoring the homelands of the Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla Tribes, and celebrating Native American culture to promote higher education opportunities and successes for Native American students.

Location

Sherwood Athletic Center, 47 S Park St, Walla Walla, WA 99362

Why “Pášx̣apa”?

Pášx̣apa, meaning Place of the Wild Sunflowers, is the Cayuse name for the Walla Walla Valley. By giving this name to our powwow, we honor the original inhabitants of this area at the same time that we welcome their descendants to return and hold this sacred event on Whitman’s campus.

The pášx̣a plant is known in English as Arrowleaf Balsam Root.