While many people believe the powwow to be a private event, they are actually open to the public. You can sit in on a powwow, and in some cases, even be a part of one. Powwows are peaceful celebrations involving the earth and the people involved. There are no ancient rituals that might scare or shock. In fact, the powwow is a true picture of many Indian cultures, and the earth-loving ways in which they lived.
Powwows contain singing, dancing, eating and trading, and usually last for days.
Some are combined with other events, such as rodeos, demonstrations, competitions and games. It is not even unusual for a powwow to have rides and a traveling carnival alongside it. The types of dances that may be seen at a powwow are the southern straight dance, fancy and traditional dances, and gourd dancing, where the dancer shakes a dried gourd as a rattle. Native American instruments are often of great interest to the new viewer. They consist of beautifully carved drums, rattles and small flutes.