A tradition that has launched annually for generations started again this week.
Nearly 400 danced in the grand entry at the powwow for the 102nd annual Crow Fair in Crow Agency on Friday night.
"It's very special," said Walter Runsabove, arena directory. "It's one of the biggest highlights of powwow. You'll see all the best dancers. You'll see all the awesome regalia, the bead work. Everybody's just coming together. Visitors from near and far coming together and celebrating with one another through song and dance."
Runsabove has danced at the Crow Fair powwow for 25 years. This year he's the arena director.
"You try to dance as long as you can," he said. "This year, I won't be able to dance. Usually I've been dancing on this. I get to knock it off the bucket list. It's been one of my dreams to work this powwow."
Runsabove is a Northern Cheyenne Tribal member and tribes from all over come to help celebrate.
"Navajo country to Potawatomi country, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Assiniboine. Gros Ventre," he said about the visiting tribes. "There's a lot of different tribes represented here. Celebrations like this bring people together. If anybody wants some pleasure dance, they could pleasure dance for their families. They want to be in contests, they can contest as well. A lot of past champions came through here. It's a rich history and this powwow ground that we get to dance on, you know that's it's really unique to that, to showcase that aspect of singing and dancing."
The Crow Fairstarted Thursday and runs through Monday.
