Native voices and rhythmic drums called out the rarely heard but familiar sounds of the American Indian culture to John Rivera at a pow wow.

Rivera, an American Indian, appreciates his culture displayed by other American Indians through a variety of dances and clothing.

A pow wow is an opportunity for me to be with people who are like me, Rivera, a senior in biology for Lakevilla said. I don’t normally have the opportunity to do that.

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The American Indian Association of SIUC sponsored the second annual Pow Wow Program, Spirits of the Midwest Pow Wow, Saturday at the National Guard Armory, 900 W. Sycamore St.

A pow wow allows American Indian tribes to display their cultures. Involving songs and dances, pow wows usually last for two to three days at a time.

Historically, pow wows were a time of celebration and togetherness. They allowed the opportunity for trade as well as families to celebrate together.

Now, pow wows are a way to dispel stereotypes and educate people about American Indians.

Iris Creasy, president of the American Indian Association, said the main purpose of a pow wow is to present the American Indian culture to other people.

This is a chance to get and share our culture with ourselves as well as others, Creasy said.

A variety of different costumes were worn by the dancers at the pow wow representing a variety of dance styles.

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Some women wore jingle dresses, also known as prayer dresses. Stories say the dress appeared in a medicine man’s dream as an object to heal afflicted people. The dress was first created by a medicine man who believed that if his sick granddaughter wore the dress and danced she would be healed.

The jingle dress is made of rolled up tobacco lids that cling together to produce the jingle sound. It is worn by women who have lung problems or know someone who has lung problems.

Other women wore a Fancy Shawl. This is among the newest form of dance and women’s clothing. The large piece of colorful cloth has long fringe hanging from the edges.

When women wear the shawl over the shoulders, they dance as butterflies in flight by spinning and jumping around to the beat of music.

Men’s dress is much different from the style of women’s dress.

The traditional male dancer wears a porcupine headpiece made of bone, metal, rawhide or leather. The headpiece can then be carved, painted, or beaded. A breast plate is worn that covers to the waist. Armbands are made of leather or beads. Beaded lag bands are also worn.

A man might carry a wing fan, a pipe bag or a quirt. The movement of the dancer is to imitate the movement of a prairie chicken or a warrior searching for the enemy.

More elaborate costumes were worn by the Oklahoma Feather Dancer, or the fancy dancer. This style is found at many pow wows across the plains. Men paint their legs and faces to add to the costume.

The outfit is covered with beads, leather and feathers that create an authentic design. Moccasins are fully beaded and are worn to the knee.

The dance performed is a simple step with intricate footwork around a drum combined with a spinning and jumping movement.

Eddie Swimmer performed the Hoop Dance, an awesome performance when a more than a dozen hoops are passed around and over the body of the dancer.

The intense dance is 15 minutes of nonstop twirling. The hoops were used to create wings for the dancers and sphere shaped objects.

Creasy stressed the importance of American Indian students taking part in the pow wow to keep in touch with their native culture.

This may be the only opportunity for students to go to a pow wow while they’re in college because of time constraints, she said.

Rivera has only been to a few pow wows but still understands the importance.

Our main goal is to educate people, he said. A lot of people still have negative stereotypes and don’t realize the amount of American Indian population in Illinois and at SIUC.