Commentary

By Lauren Stone

Every year, the second weekend in March [this year, Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14] means one thing to me— do not bother my parents because they are busy running the CSULB Pow Wow. For as long as I can remember it has been my duty as a daughter to, at minimum, make an appearance at the pow wow. 
For me, the pow wow at CSULB is more than an event, it’s like a really organized family reunion, with great food, arts, dancing and more love than you can imagine. Unlike most family reunions, this is a dry event; there is no tipsy Auntie Shirley talking about her divorce, or Uncle Steven complaining about how the Democrats are ruining the economy. For two days all of those troubles seem to disappear as the American-Indian Studies Program, American-Indian Student Council, Division of Student Services, Student Life and Development, 49er Shops, Inc., and Associated Students, Inc. turn the upper quad into one of the best cultural events or festivals you are likely to see. 
There are exhibitions, like the gourd dancers at 11am both Saturday and Sunday, and competitions of many different styles of dance for minimal prize money, but mostly people come for the fun and experience. 
CSULB’s Pow Wow is known as being one of the best that draws some of the best dancers from all over the country. If you can only make it for a couple of hours I recommend coming to see either the tiny tots or the golden age competitions. There is nothing cuter than a bunch of 3—5 year olds trying to dance or more impressive than seeing our elders who have danced their whole lives show everyone that they’ve still got it, and how the dances should be done.
While the music and dancing is a huge part of the pow wow, you mustn’t forget to grab some food. I can never leave a pow wow without at least a quarter pound of Myer’s beef jerky. Take it from this fat kid, there is nothing quite like a two-dollar slab of dried beef firmly held in your hand, gently resting between your teeth as your mouth begins to salivate and that tough dry meat becomes moist and tender. Be sure to get some to go, or grab an order form because, if you’re like me, once you have had Myer’s jerky you will be dreaming about the second week of March.
The other traditional food you must have before leaving the pow wow is fry bread. If you want to keep it “old school,” then it’s all about the honey and powdered sugar. Fry bread is kind of like a cross between a donut and funnel cake. It is amazing and worth every calorie. I prefer the fry bread from the Wild Horse Café. 
They also tend to have really amazing stews, and if you are feeling like taking a deviation from the traditional and would like a full fry bread meal, go with a fry bread dog, or a Navajo taco. If you like your food self contained, go with the fry bread dog, but if you don’t mind getting a little messy, go for the taco. Ground beef, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, beans and cheese all sitting atop a warm perfect piece of fry bread. What could be better than that?

For more information on this weekend’s event go to csulb.edu/divisions/students/sld/american_indian_services/pow_wow

Lauren Stone is a journalism student at Long Beach City College.