Native American culture celebrated

STOCKTON — Hundreds converged on University of the Pacific’s Main Gym on Saturday to celebrate and preserve Native American culture at the 15th annual Stockton Winter Pow Wow.

A steady drumbeat resonated inside the gym as dozens participated in traditional Native American dances in the center of the floor while others browsed through goods offered by vendors, including arts, crafts and clothing. Organizers and others who attended the event said pow wows allow elders to pass their people’s culture and customs on to their children.

“It’s all about them,” Stockton Pow Wow Committee member David Wilson said while holding the hand of his youngest daughter, 6-year-old Kaidence. “We need to keep our culture going and pass it on to our children. They don’t teach this stuff in schools, so this is how they find out who they are and what their background is. This is a way for Native Americans to get together, remember our past and keep our culture alive.”

Wilson’s mother, Caroline Wilson, was considered a matriarch in the Stockton Pow Wow community. When she died at the age of 74 on Feb. 9, 2015, she was survived by seven children, 25 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren.

David Wilson watched his mother play a central role in organizing pow wows in Stockton for about 40 years. Now, he is doing his part to continue her legacy.

“Just trying to keep it going,” Wilson said. “When I was a young person, she took us to pow wows all the time and made sure I was out there dancing.”

Wilson was accompanied on Saturday by his daughters, Kaidence and her 8-year-old sister Cambria. Both girls performed traditional Native American dances.

“It just makes me proud,” Wilson said.

Diane Ricks, 63, of Auburn and Jean Reynolds, 65, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., said they attended the event to see old friends and make new friends.

Junior Escalante, a 50-yearold Yuba City resident, agreed that passing traditions along to new generations is key to maintaining Native American culture. Escalante has three children, ages 14, 16 and 21, all of whom are well acquainted with their heritage.