ALBUQUERQUE, NM — The U.S. Postal Service today dedicated its Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture stamps during a ceremony at the largest powwow in the country, the Gathering of Nations, with more than 100,000 attendees.
“The Postal Service takes great pride in our stamps and the unique opportunity they offer to tell the story of America. That’s why we’re thrilled to be a part of this celebration of Native American music, dance and culture,” said Steven W. Monteith, the organization’s chief customer and marketing officer and executive vice president. “We hope they inspire a deeper appreciation of Native American culture and influence all who see them.”
“It’s a huge honor to be able to show the face of powwow culture to the world and take an art form like painting, with such historic ideas embedded in it, and transform it into a stamp,” said Mateo Romero, Southern Keres Cochiti Pueblo tribal member and Powwows stamp artist. “The colors, movement and celebratory nature of this work point to a human condition of joy, ceremony, spirituality, culture and rebirth.”
Additional participants at the ceremony were Royale Dá, master of ceremonies and KOAT-TV news anchor; the Native American Women Warriors Honor Guard; Kansas Begaye, a Native American recording artist; and Antonio Alcalá, a USPS art director and the stamp designer.
News about the stamp is being shared on social media using the hashtag #PowwowsStamps.
Background
The Postal Service strives to tell the stories of all Americans on stamps, and issuing stamps that honor the living culture and heritage of Indigenous people is an important part of that goal. The new Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture stamps honor these vibrant North American Native gatherings as a unique contribution to American culture.
Powwows are festive gatherings where Indigenous people can celebrate their identities through dance, prayer, music and art. Participants also socialize, enjoy traditional foods and introduce and educate younger generations to the tribe-specific and pan-Native customs of Native American people.
Tribal gatherings have been an important aspect of Indigenous culture for hundreds of years. Historians believe the word “powwow” originated in the mid-17th century from the Algonquian linguistic family, whose speakers lived in the woodlands of the northeastern and midwestern United States and across Canada. The Narragansett, who speak a related dialect, used the words “pau wau” to describe certain types of community gatherings.
An important feature of any powwow dance is the dancer’s regalia, a mix of contemporary and traditional clothing carefully chosen by the dancer that reflects the wearer’s interests, family and tribal origins. Often, items such as moccasins or fancy shawls have been passed down from generation to generation and have great meaning to the dancer. Some dancers also add newer elements such as glass beads, ribbons or scarves.
Stamp design
The four stamps in a pane of 20 showcase original paintings of Native American dancers by Cochiti Pueblo artist Mateo Romero. The artist took photographs of the dancers in their traditional clothing while performing and then painted on top of the images. He used thick, brightly colored brushstrokes to create the abstract expressionistic images gracing the stamps.
The pane features:
- A young Indigenous woman in a teal dress performing the Crow Hop. She has a red cloth draped over her arm and is pictured in front of a vibrant blue and purple background.
- A Native woman dressed in brown, ecru and white regalia performing the Women’s Traditional dance with a vivid orange, yellow and green background.
- A Women’s Fancy Shawl dancer wearing a fringed cape that resembles the wing of a bird, against a background of turquoise, azure and gold. The main portion of the cape or “wing” is a brilliant scarlet while the yellow, blue and orange fringe suggests the bird’s feathers.
- A Men’s Hoop dancer holding multiple hoops in both hands with one foot poised in mid-air. He is dressed in a decorated blue vest with a matching headdress; a fringed, multicolored breechcloth; and blue moccasins embellished with tan fur and beads.
The words “POWWOWS,” the name of each dance shown on a stamp, “USA,” and “FOREVER” run vertically down the left side of each stamp. The header for the stamp pane reads “POWWOWS Celebrating Native American Culture.” A large powwow drum with tan leather stitching is on the top right side of the selvage. The drum sits on a large wooden frame.
The Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.
A video about the stamps will be posted after today’s event on the Postal Service’s Facebook page at facebook.com/USPS and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at x.com/usps.
