Drum beats echoed through the trees of Long Hunter State Park in Hermitage as Native American leaders marched into the arena at the center of the field to begin the final ceremony of the weekend, known as “the grand entry,” at the 44th annual NAIA Indian Education Tennessee Pow Wow.
From Oct. 17-19, Middle Tennessee residents and beyond celebrated the cultural heritage of more than 500 tribes in the United States with food, music and dancing.
Dancers dressed in brightly colored regalia adorned with long ribbons, colorful beads and jingling bells, accompanied by feathered headdresses, performed popular dances like the grass dance and the fancy dance while the southern or northern drum groups played…