Documentary Photographs

For many years, Native Americans have gathered in Pow Wow dance and song rituals in order to celebrate their culture and pass traditions onto younger generations. This Pow Wow was in protest of the artificial snow-making that is soon going to be occurring on the Native Americans' sacred mountain in Flagstaff. This is a very important issue in Northern Arizona because Native Americans in this area regard the mountain as their God, and feel that it is disrespectful to spread reclaimed "poop" water on the mountain. This Pow Wow was a special occasion because the dancers were all young individuals, who were learning the traditions of their culture and fighting for what they believe in. This Pow Wow shows that the beliefs of the Native American culture are still very strong and continue to be passed onto younger generations. The fear, anger, and sadness of seeing their sacred mountain be "tainted" is apparent in the eyes of these individuals, but they still maintain the strength and focus to honor their beliefs and fight for their culture.