A_ Powwow, Wacipi in the Dakota Language, was originally a spring event to celebrate the seasonal renewal of new life. People would congregate to sing, dance, renew old friendships and form new ones. Powwows had religious significance as opportunities to hold a naming, now usually conducted in the privacy of a family gathering, and honoring ceremonies. In the Dakota/Lakota tradition, the celebration was also a prayer to Wakantanka ( the Great Spirit, Grandfather or Great Mystery) . The term "powwow" is traced to the Algonquin language.
Powwows are still very much a part of the lives of many Native Americans around the state and country and are held every weekend, often at several locations during peak periods, from June until September. Many families "go on the circuit', camp out and enjoy the traditional activities. Competitive singing and dancing, relatively recent changes, are often featured.

The circle, an important symbol to Native American people, is used extensively in powwows. The dancers are in the center, the drums and the audience circle around them and the concessions surround the gathering. The powwow brings the circle of people closer to family, friends and the comfort and vitality of their culture.