Oct 9, 2025 By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger 3 min read

Chief John J. Zirwas of the Red Eagle Village is on a mission: to ensure that Native American heritage is not forgotten.

Zirwas is a member of the Shawnees-a tribe rooted in the northeastern woodlands. He is heading up the Pow-Wow Mountain Man Rendezvous at the Little A Town Arena in Avella.

The event, which is sponsored by the Native American Indian Cultural Society, celebrates Native American culture and will take place Saturday and Sunday.

This will be the inaugural year for the gathering at Little A Town Arena and the event models the one that has been held in McDonald for 29 years. According to Zirwas, the family friendly celebration will feature Native dancers, drummers, colorful regalia, auctions, crafters and plenty of food.

The sacred circle

“We’re big on veterans, so an honor guard will appear to lead the grand entry,” said Zirwas. The guard typically carries the U.S. flag, tribal flags and the POW-MIA flag to set the tone before the pow-wow kicks off with a “sacred circle” in the dance arena.

The circle represents the circle of life, equality and continuity; visitors are asked to refrain from taking photos during this time.

“It’s based on the medicine wheel, which represents the four directions, seasons, and stages of life. East is the birth stage, south is adolescence, west is adulthood and north is old age,” said Zirwas.

A variety of dances

After the opening, visitors can expect traditional men’s and women’s dances, as well as playful community favorites like the potato dance. For those who are unfamiliar with the potato dance, it’s a lighthearted, fun event open to the public.

“The potato is placed between a couple’s foreheads, cheeks, or chins while dancing. The goal is to keep the potato from falling,” said Zirwas.

For children, the candy dance is always a hit. Before the event, adults scatter candy on the ground and “we give each child a paper bag and they dance until the music stops, at which time they can start putting candy in the bags,” said Zirwas. “It’s a lot like musical chairs.” At the end, children are encouraged to compare bags and share.

“This teaches sharing and generosity,” Zirwas said.

Another dance, which is meant to be a fun intertribal activity, is the Ugly Broom Dance.

“An odd number of participants dance in the arena and the one without a partner has to dance with a broom,” Zirwas explained. “Whoever ends up with the broom, is the champion ugly dancer.” He noted that the dance has roots in the Lenape and Shawnee tribes.

A family tradition

Zirwas’ daughter, Lexie, has been dancing at powwows for about 30 years now.

“My mom handmade my first set of regalia, followed by my aunt and uncle,” she said. Her current outfit features Macaw feathers. “The Macaw is a sacred bird to the Shawnees,” she pointed out.

Lexis said that she is happy to answer questions posed by the public.

“I don’t live in a teepee,” she said, with a chuckle, before turning serious. “I like the togetherness the pow-wows promote and the learning as well. I love teaching others about our heritage. Without it, it just dies.”

Her advice to others: “Do as much research on your heritage as you can, then pass it to other generations so that it doesn’t become obsolete.”

To learn more about the pow-wow at the Little A Town Arena in Avella, visit the Little A Town website at https://www.littleatownarena.com/event-details/pow-wow-mountain-man-rendezvous