Penn State Public Media - As Long As We Dance: The New Faces of an Ancient People Traditional American Indian Powwow

Honorings

Honorings are an important part of the Traditional Powwow. The Honor Dance shows respect and honor to someone for their character or achievement. A drum is selected to sing a special honor song, usually either the Host Drum or a drum with a significant connection to the person being honored or the person calling for the honor. There is usually some announcement explaining the reason for the honoring, then the person being honored and the sponsoring person are danced once around the arena by the head dancers. After one revolution, other dancers and powwow guests who wish to show their respect form a line to shake hands and then dance behind the group.