Meet The People of the Powwow - Michael A. Runningwind

Let's meet some more of our powwow head staff. Introducing our Master of Ceremonies and Sound Engineer ... Michael A. Runningwind.

Former United States Marine Corps Sergeant and Combat Veteran.

Michael, born in Fresno California. His Mother is Esther “BrokenArrow” Martinez, and The late Jesu’ Villanueva, Raised by his blended Father Robert Cruz. He is SENECA and Mescalero APACHE, His maternal clan is Wolf clan, people of the Big Mountain, Sootootsie, Paternal line Mushcalé &
Bed-on-kohe Ndee.
He Graduated from Roosevelt High School 1997, continued his education at Fresno Community College.1998 Michael joined the world’s finest The United States Marine Corps. After 3 months of recruit training & 2 months at Infantry training battalion he Was Assigned to 2nd battalion 3rdMarines. 2uears in attaining the prestige Rank of NCO (noncommissioned officer) Corporal, he reenlisted & was assigned to Marine Corps Forces Pacific, under the Assistance Chief of staffs & Generals G3 office, picked up the rank of Sergeant & his last 18 months with 3rdBattalion 3rd Marines; Training new Marines, as a Marine Corps Martial Arts instructor, Squad leader and platoon guide, readying Marines for the rigors of combat. Michael participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom One, Two, Three, & Afghanistan Campaigns. The 8 years of his life in the military has been a rewarding experience; continuity of Honor, Courage and Commitment is a precedence of his life & he is grateful to be in the service of the people.

He is a recent graduate of the Art Institute of California, San Diego & San Bernardino with an Associates of Science in Audio Production and a concentration In literary arts.
He is a former MMA Fighter,continuing martial arts practitioner, a former green belt instructor in Marine Corps Martial arts, a Wing Chun, JKD,Chinese boxing practitioner.
Currently working as a Pow Wow dance instructor at Tejon Tribal offices teaching kids of all ages this good way of life.

Michael has been adopted to many relatives; the late Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman, Chief Oliver Red Cloud (Lakota), Jewel Hanson Crow (Crow Nation) Belonging to family matriarch of the “American Horse” “Her Many Horses”& “Two Bulls Family”. Sundance Leader Frank Settee (Cree, Ojibwa, Lakota) has given him rights through Sun dance, as a Pipe Carrier, Sweat Lodge keeper, and whistle carrier. He was inducted by Larry Hendrix (Northern Cheyenne) as a member of the disbanded “Black Wolf Warrior Society”. Including taking on a Big Brother Mario Sanchez and the Warren Ashmore Family, Michaels love for truth, martial arts and his affinity for sound, are his passions, giving the music of life to that may hear. Niyawh;n Aho!

(On Sunday, around noon, there will be a Veteran's Honoring in the arena of the Children of Many Colors Intertribal Powwow. All Veterans, of all nationalities and all branches of service, are welcome and encouraged to join us.

A powwow is a Native American ceremony and celebration which welcomes the general public. Powwows are true cultural gatherings, not performances. Powwows knit the social fabric that is vital to the indigenous community while creating an atmosphere of cultural immersion for visitors. A powwow includes singing, dancing, drumming, traditional music, arts, crafts and food. There are two basic kinds of powwows - contest and intertribal.

A contest powwow provides prize money for dance competitions, while an intertribal powwow is a more relaxed, family style gathering. Redbird's powwow is an intertribal gathering which prides itself in creating a friendly and supportive atmosphere for both participants and visitors. 2024 will mark our 22nd powwow. Powwows range from one to three days.

The Redbird powwow begins Friday evening with an open flute circle, where everyone is welcome to take the microphone and share their songs. This includes the native and non-native community, professional musicians and amateurs. It is a friendly, supportive, relaxed way to begin the gathering. It provides a chance for vendors to settle in. It provides an opportunity for guests to shop with vendors who are ready for business.

Saturday the powwow proper begins with the Gourd Dance ceremony. The Gourd Dance honors the tradition of the warrior societies and today is often dominated by indigenous Veterans. In recent years we are seeing more and more youth brought into the way of the gourd dance, which emphasizes respect and honor.

Grand Entry immediately follows the Gourd Dance ceremony. This is what most people think of as the most spectacular moment of the gathering - when all of the dancers enter the arena at once, accompanied by the Eagle Staff and United States flag. It is indeed an exciting moment. The songs of the drums resonate within your chest and the experience of witnessing the representation of so many different indigenous people, not in some historical depiction but in real life...it is a difficult moment to translate into words.

Throughout the rest of the day there is singing, dancing, social dances where visitors may join in, ceremonies, exhibition dances and cultural sharing. The powwow itself comes from the Great Plains - an adaptation to the reservation era - but California tribal people now participate, dancing their own styles, singing their own songs and reconnecting with their own ancestral land.

Sunday morning the powwow continues with a Veteran's Honoring as a part of the
morning Gourd Dance session. All Veterans are welcome to participate. Sunday's
gathering follows a similar schedule, but ends around 6 PM, allowing daylight for
vendors to pack up their wares and for dancers and singers to do the same. The
powwow grounds are cleaned and left as they are found, or if possible, a little bit
better.

Everyone is welcome. Free parking, free admission, family friendly. For more information visit www.RedbirdsVisions.org