The Eklutna tribe’s Pow Wow and Potlatch happens only once every two years — but when it does, it draws hundreds and hundreds of people to the village of Eklutna, a short drive north of Anchorage.
A weekend of dancing, drumming and feasting kicks off at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the tribe’s Pow Wow grounds off the Glenn Highway at Mile 26. The celebration is free and open to the public.
Aaron Leggett, the president of the Native Village of Eklutna, says what makes him most proud is that no one leaves hungry, because the tribe feeds everyone.
“We’ll have moose, various types of moose stew, and roast and fish, salmon,” Leggett said. “It’s just sort of our way of really being open and good community partners.”
Many also bring dishes to share. Leggett says NVE has plenty to celebrate this year — including the groundbreaking for its long-awaited tribal gathering hall, funded in part by the success of its new casino. But more than anything, he says the gathering is a chance for Anchorage, Chugiak and Eagle River to get to know their neighbors in the village of Eklutna.
“There are certainly people that wouldn’t necessarily, when they think of Eklutna, maybe they would think of the cemetery and the church, but don’t really have any sense of it,” Leggett said. “The pow wow, the potlatch, really was our way of increasing awareness to the community and building that up.”
The theme for this year’s event is “Restoring our River — 97 Years Later.” It spotlights the tribe’s efforts to bring back the natural flow of the Eklutna River and its wild salmon runs.
The 12-mile river, after it was dammed to generate hydropower, saw its waters dry up and its fish numbers dwindle. In 2018, the tribe removed the dam and is working to build back the salmon runs that traditionally fed its people.
Historically, there were five species of salmon in the river.
Nearly a century after the river's flow was interrupted, the pow wow celebrates both the return of the waters and the tribe's ongoing work to ensure future generations can share in its abundance.
The theme of renewal will be woven throughout the weekend’s festivities. The Pow Wow features local Alaska Native dance groups, as well as those from Indian tribes outside Alaska, known for their colorful regalia.
There are also Native art and craft sales. While admission is free, there is a $5 parking fee. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug.1 and 2.