The PowWow Dream Team!

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Al "Kuyaribo" Santos. 

(Taino/Arawak/Aztec)

We are thrilled to welcome Brother Al back to the microphone this year as our Master of Ceremonies!

Al is an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, actor, Master of Ceremonies, husband, father and grandfather. He is  the adopted son of Christine and Toby Starr of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Hammon, Oklahoma. 

He is the lead singer for the Ottertrail Singers, a Native American, southern style drum & song group.

Al is also a 37-year professional wrestler/promoter and has been inducted into 3 Halls Of Fame nationwide. He is also featured in the HBO movie "Fightville".

Larry Liles

(Comanche)

Last year Larry was our Head Gourd Dancer. This year he has accepted to role of Co-MC to help us keep the flow of the PowWow moving.

Larry is from Lawton, Oklahoma and a   

proud enrolled member of the Comanche Nation. 

Larry and Sonya have been married 44 years this past Valentines Day, she is of Creek/Seminole descent.  

Larry is a father of three (2 daughters and a son) and grandfather of 5 (3 grandsons and 2 granddaughters). 

Nicole Pavatea-Santos

(Hopi/Navajo/Tewa)

Hello, my name is Nicole Pavatea-My Indian name is Sah Pohvi Ayu which translates to Tobacco Flower and I'm a southern traditional cloth dancer. I was born in Tuba City, Arizona and was employed by Indian Health Service for almost 20 years before going into private practice as a Medical Coder.  

I'm from the Towering House Clan, born for the Tewa Spider Clan and Salt Clan born for the Tobacco Clan. I live with my husband Al Santos in Apache, Oklahoma. We have a combined total of 9 beautiful children.

Nicole is a back up lady singer with the Grammy nominated southern plains style drum group Ottertrail Singers as well as an artist and actress.  

Gary Unah, USMC Veteran 

(Kioa/Creek)

Gary served in Desert Storm 1988-1992. 

Gary is also involved with several Powwow organization like the Kiowa Black leggings, Kiowa Gourd Clan, Kiowa Tia Piah Society, Oklahoma City Powwow Club and the Native American Marine Corps Veterans Association. 

Gary and his family are from Cache, Oklahoma.

Dennis Begay

(Navajo)

Our Honored Elder, Dennis Begay, will lead the Gourd Dance sessions.

Gourd Dance is a ceremonial dance with origins in the Kiowa tribe, which has since spread to other Plains Indigenous communities. This dance commemorates a significant Kiowa victory in 1838 against the Arapaho and other foes, marked by the discovery of skunkberry bushes on the battleground.

Harold Rogers

(Navajo)

 As our  Arena Director, Harold will keep the powwow running in an orderly fashion, keeping track of the dancers, singers, and special events, lining up the dancers for Grand Entry, and providing procedural direction in all aspects of the arena. Harold is especially knowledgeable about powwow protocol and etiquette and has a vast knowledge of the traditions of the people, the way things have been practiced at powwow both on and off the reservation, and the way our people are traditionally dressed despite the number of American Indian tribes that are represented at powwow. 

Kasey Atauvich

(Comanhe/Kiowa/Creek)

Native American USMC Veterans Association

Kasey’s Comanche Name is ‘Wewahnoeet Tahtsenuhpeh’ which means Shinning Star. She is from Cache,Ok and her tribes are Comanche, Kiowa, and Creek. She is a descendant of Chief Little Raven from the Arapaho Nation, who was a Sand Creek Massacre survivor. She is also a descendant of Chief Wild Horse, Chief Whitewolf, and Chief Iron Mountain. She comes from the Kwaharu band, which means antelope eater in the Comanche Language. 

She is honored to be a member of the Native American Sign Language group. She is an active member in the Oklahoma City Pow Wow Club, where she was the princess of the organization from 2021-2022. She grew up playing hand games and plays for the Camp 7 team, organized by her grandpa, the Late Carl Atauvich. She loves to travel to many powwows and dance Southern cloth, Buckskin, and plans to come back into the arena as a Jingle Dancer.

Nan Blasingame & Her Expert Team

OTTERTRAIL

We are proud to announce that Ottertrail will join our PowWow Team this year as the Host Southern Drum!  Ottertrail is powwow singing and drum group that has 3 Grammy nominations, 1 NAMA nomination and 11 studio and live albums. The drum group has traveled the world several times and they have been featured on other artist's collaboration albums. 

For more information, news, details, dates and merchandise visit www.facebook.com/ottertrail and on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. 

Eagle Point

We are excited to have Eagle Point return this year as our Northern Drum Group.

Northern drums sing in a higher pitch and have a longer set of four to eight honor beats. 

Diamond Creek Apache Crown Dancers under the direction of Rudy Padilla

The Apache Crown Dance is a healing, blessing and protection ceremony performed by Apache men under the close guidance of the tribal Medicine Man. The Crown Dance is a reverent prayerful event with deep meaning to the Apache. 

The Lake Granbury Intertribal Powwow Organizer, Vick White Hawk Castillo, is an Apache Crown Dancer, enabling him to bring this unique experience to you in exhibition. Rudy and Vick have worked closely to ensure the reverence of this exhibition performance remains true to the requirements of the Apache Nation. 

 Mitotiliztl Yaoyollohtli 

 Heart of the Warrior Aztec Dancers 

La Danza Mexihka (Azteca) is a living, evolving and cultural tradition filled with the artistic and spiritual tradition of the Mexihka. La Danza is a form of prayer, individual and yet communal. It is a way of life, all encompassing.

It is a rich blend of music, choreography, poetry, theater and most important of all, of deeply held spiritual faith.

Using brilliant colors in their regalia, headdresses and musical instruments, the Mexihka dancers communicate across generations, to carry on a tradition which they have been entrusted with. Using intricate dance steps, turns and jumps, the dancers evoke a kinetic prayer.

Drums, rattles, seed pod shells and flutes unite to create a mind expanding experience that reflects the cultural heritage of Mexico and Aztlan.

Mitotiliztli Yaoyollohtli (Heart of the Warrior Aztec Dancers) has been sharing these traditions in the DFW area for 28 years and continue to share the culture with the public while maintaining alive the centuries old ceremonies and rituals.