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The Musical Vibrations of the Powwow The powwow was originally created in the Native American culture as a spring event that would assemble many people in one place to build relationships while renewing lives. Powwows also had religious magnitude in honoring and naming ceremonies. The term powwow comes from the Algonquin language, which European settlers thought referred to as a counsel or large gathering, so eventually the word spread throughout the land. Even in modern times, powwows are continuing to be a significant part of the lives of Native Americans. These gatherings are often held every weekend between the months of June to September. Powwows consist of many necessary components, such as music and dance, which allow the ceremony to reach Native Americans on various levels. To bring about music, only a few percussion instruments and drums are used. Out of these, it is easy to say that the drum is the most essential. Though the combination of song and dance are the primary structures for the powwow, these would be unachievable without the beats from the drum. Since powwows have changed greatly over the years by involving non-Indian friends and family to take part, the drum is something that is still associated to the tr