Across South Dakota, powwows keep song, regalia and generations of family tradition in motion. To understand South Dakota is to sit with the heritage of the people who shaped it.

Grand entries open most powwows with a procession of dancers in full regalia.

What sets it apart

Drum groups sit at the center, their songs setting the rhythm for each dance style. Small as it sounds, it is exactly the sort of thing that defines the experience on the ground.

Categories from jingle dress to grass dance each carry their own history and meaning.

Why it matters

Step back, and a larger picture comes into view: this is South Dakota in miniature, rugged and unhurried. It is a heritage still very much alive in the communities and gatherings of today's South Dakota.