Hundreds of Native Americans representing tribes from across the western United States and Canada participated in the 52nd Annual Shoshone-Bannock Festival Pow Wow on Saturday afternoon. The event gave spectators a chance to see a centuries-old tradition come to life right before their eyes.

The pow wow is a dancing contest, where the competitors dress in vivid, decorative costumes that reflect their heritage. As the booming sound of drums filled the pavilion, competitors danced in their own respective styles. In the end, the winners received prizes and bragging rights.

“Contestants as old as 70 years old will participate,” Destina Abrahamson, festival coordinator, said before the start of contest.

The pow wow was a part of the Shoshone-Bannock Festival, an event celebrating Native American history and culture held Thursday through Sunday. Other events held during the four days include Indian relay races, rodeos, art shows, indigenous children’s games, and softball and golf tournaments.

But this type of festival is nothing new to Native American groups. For centuries, nations would meet to trade and barter goods. Numerous friendly contests between the different tribes emerged from these get-togethers.

“We have always loved to compete,” Abrahamson said. “It’s a way for each nation to represent its people and culture.”

However, Abrahamson said there was a time when Native Americans were not allowed to hold pow wows, particularly after they were forced onto reservations. The tradition in the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe fell by the wayside for many decades.

Then, in the early 1960s, the tradition was revived. Reeves Nawoosky, the Shoshone-Bannock recreation director, scheduled a celebration that included various activities, including the Miss Shoshone-Bannock Queen Contest. The event was a huge success and has continued every year since then.

But unlike the get-togethers held centuries ago, the current Shoshone-Bannock Festival is about celebrating and sharing the culture of the native peoples of North America with others.

“It’s about empowerment and self-determination, and that we persevered,” Abrahamson said.

Out of all the events held over the duration of the festival, few provided a more visually exciting glimpse into Native American culture than the pow wow. Some dancers wore elaborate headdresses, while others were covered from head-to-toe in brightly colored feather bustles.

One of the dancers was Corey Reeder from Anadarko, Oklahoma, who has traveled across the western United States and Canada to compete in Indian dancing contests. Though there are a variety of dancing styles at these events, Reeder competes in the fancy feather category, which consists of each tribe’s top dancers.

“We’re the racehorses, the thoroughbreds, the showstoppers,” he said as his two large red feather bustles hung off his back and shoulders.

Reeder said that when he dances, he tries to mimic the movements of a horse when it tries to show off. The horse’s mane will rise up, and it will kick its legs and jumping around wildly.

Though there are big monetary prizes at stake at many of the pow wows held across the country, Reeder said there are more important reasons why the dancers travel the circuit and compete.

“When we dance, we dance for others, for our family and friends who are sick or can’t walk,” he said. “That’s why we’ll come out and compete in 120-degree weather and 89 percent humidity, because we are grateful we are able to do it.”