The 54th annual First Nations @ UW Spring Powwow is scheduled for April.Comanche Mike

Jessica Bissett Perea (Dena’ina) had never experienced powwow singing until she participated in an Indigenous music conference in Toronto in 2008.

She was brought into this world north of Anchorage, Alaska, where powwows have emerged only in the past 25 years. During the conference, she was captivated by the vocal talents of John-Carlos Perea (Mescalero Apache, Irish, Chicano, German). The duo realized their shared experiences and ultimately wed in 2009.

“It’s remarkable how much I’ve understood about powwows through engaging with John-Carlos over the years,” Bissett Perea expressed. “We have invited dance styles in Alaska. However, as a relative newcomer who isn’t well-versed in all aspects of powwows, it has been beneficial for me to pose inquiries to John-Carlos.”

The couple has recently joined the faculty at the University of Washington: Bissett Perea serves as an associate professor of American Indian Studies and also an adjunct associate professor in music history and Comparative History of Ideas; Perea is an associate professor and interim head of ethnomusicology, in addition to being an adjunct associate professor in American Indian Studies and Comparative History of Ideas. This quarter, they are jointly instructing a revised version of “Powwow Cultures in Native North America.”

Although a powwow course had existed previously, this marks the inaugural interdisciplinary collaboration between American Indian Studies and the School of Music. The class will explore historical and modern powwow traditions through a range of activities, including participation in the annual First Nations @ UW Spring Powwow and engagements with powwow musicians, dancers, and event organizers.

“The course evolves with each instructor,” Perea commented. “Everyone will present their unique perspective on it. We are excited to engage in that dialogue, particularly since we are still new to the community. We aim to use this as a platform not just to discuss our experiences with powwow music and events, but also to embrace the opportunity to learn more about how these gatherings have evolved in the Seattle region.”

The curriculum will encompass musical components and styles, alongside historical and contextual analysis. Both educators hold expertise in music—Perea in ethnomusicology and Bissett Perea in music history—and are musicians in the jazz genre. Being connected with the School of Music at UW is a pivotal achievement, according to Bissett Perea, considering that “for a significant period, Native music was not recognized as music.”

“It’s crucial for us to exhibit Native methodologies in research, music history, and ethnomusicology,” Bissett Perea stated. “This approach differs, emphasizing various facets of citation and presence. It involves intellectual engagement, but it’s also kinetic. It’s emotional, and it’s spiritual. It will be a considerable challenge, yet by introducing students to powwow—a remarkable structure that is ever-evolving and continually reshaping—it’s our hope they will wish to ask further questions, enroll in additional classes, and carry on the dialogue.”

Regardless of whether students belong to Native American, Indigenous, or other cultural heritages, Perea noted that they are drawn to the course due to a mutual interest in music and dance. His objective is to cultivate an appreciation for powwow music, particularly among students who have yet to experience it firsthand. He once authored a book chapter discussing the various interpretations of what constitutes powwow noise. Throughout his journey as a powwow singer, he has faced criticism and even had the authorities called on him during teaching sessions.

A participant during last year’s First Nations @ UW Spring Powwow.Comanche Mike

“That reveals much about the fears embedded in how individuals are socialized, not only regarding powwow music but regarding a spectrum of Native music,” Perea expressed. “It’s not merely noise. Spend 10 weeks with me, and by the conclusion, you might be astonished. I can demonstrate that it is as structured as anything else you’re accustomed to hearing. But whose order are we feeling anxious about? What is it that our ears need to absorb? I desire for students to part with not just knowledge of what a powwow represents, but also transformed through learning how they can connect with it.”

When Perea attended the annual UW Powwow for the first time last year, he encountered experiences he had never seen previously. He remarked that this essence is what makes powwows remarkable: Traditions can emerge swiftly from new elements. This is a reason why the class lacks a fixed textbook, and why it won’t mirror its former self in following years.

“John-Carlos and I possess an insatiable curiosity,” Bissett Perea conveyed. “We are perpetually learning. This is one of the facets that keeps us in this field.”

Washington is abundant with both urban and rural Native communities, noted Bissett Perea, with specific histories surrounding migration, urban growth, tribal laws, and federal regulations that have influenced Indigenous peoples. Focusing on how powwow culture migrated to urban settings like Seattle is vital, especially for Indigenous students who might be unaware of their history.

“Many of these students are uncovering the specificities of their identities, their nations, and their origins,” Bissett Perea stated. “It serves as an invitation to delve deeper, granting permission to celebrate their Native identity. For non-Native students, it’s a call to cultivate stronger relationships with the original custodians of these lands.”

In preparation for the course, the couple developed a schedule of upcoming powwows within the vicinity, which students can contribute to. They identified events within a 100-mile radius, discovering over half a dozen set for April and May alone. They also aim to motivate students to engage, volunteer, or participate in the UW Powwow.

“I tell my students, ‘I’m going to describe this in one way, but then you’ll attend powwow this weekend, and someone will convey it differently,’” Perea remarked. “That’s the crux of it. It all combines various meanings. It’s about holding multiple, sometimes conflicting perspectives simultaneously. That encapsulates what it means to engage with this discourse.”

For further inquiries, reach out to Jessica Bissett Perea at [email protected] or John-Carlos Perea at [email protected].