Niko DeRoin-Silva has been in the powwow arena since she could walk.
She was too young to remember that time, but relatives of hers speak about it fondly. Growing up in northern California, away from her tribal community, dancing helped her feel connected.
“Sometimes we call it a coming out ceremony, where we give someone the right to dance, and the person sponsoring the dancer will show them around the arena, teach them about their regalia,” DeRoin-Silva (Otoe-Missouria/Choctaw) said. “I know for my own tribe, we dress them in the arena as a witness. Everybody can see that they are loved, they are cared for, they are supported.”…