Wowed

 I spent Friday at the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque.

 I've always wanted to attend this annual event but for one stupid reason 

or another, never have until now.   

 I can't believe I've been missing out on this
all these years.

 Around 2,800 dancers from 700 tribes in the United States and Canada gather
to compete and celebrate and generally knock the socks off of everyone

who goes there to watch.

I took my camera, not knowing what to expect.

The event is held at the University of New Mexico basketball arena, 

and I figured I'd be too far away to shoot anything decent.

But I wandered down to the floor level, tried to stay out of everyone's way,

and merrily took about 400 pictures in an hour's time.

I was standing next to a bank of loudspeakers, otherwise I would have

snapped away all afternoon. Ringing ears were a small price to pay

for being so close to the action.

The dancers' regalia was nothing short of amazing.

I got bopped in the head a few times by these feathers 

but didn't mind a bit.

This is the same dancer's headpiece from the back.

All the dancers' outfits were handmade and adorned with unique combinations of
beadwork, feathers, pelts, feathers, jingles, feathers, claws, feathers,
quills, feathers, ribbons, bones, fringe, horns... and then more feathers.
Every single one was a work of art.

The dancers compete by age group and type of dance.
I couldn't figure out the steps or the patterns or why one dancer
was better or worse than the others, but it didn't affect my enjoyment one bit.

I do know it was impossible not to move my own feet
to the mesmerizing beats of the drummers.

At the end of each dance, the participants congratulated each other.

The female dancers shook hands...

...the male dancers high-fived.

I was so intrigued by the headpieces that I didn't get many pictures

of the dancers' feet,

many of which jingled from seed pods or bells.

I didn't notice the bird on this dancer's head when I took the picture.

Albuquerque is famous for another annual event – the Balloon Fiesta –

but now having been to both, I prefer the Gathering of Nations.

And did I mention the shopping? 

I came home with this box made of buffalo hide,

a necklace,

and a flying war horse, 

say nothing of the unforgettable memories from being able 

to share in a celebration of Native American culture.