Everyone Fits

The United Houma Nation is excited to invite the community to the 13th Annual Celebrating Abilities/Disabilities Awareness Powwow this June, a unique event that blends cultural tradition with a special focus on honoring individuals with disabilities.

“We missed several years of our powwow due to COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida, so last year we were thrilled to bring the event back and host it at the Barry P. Bonvillain Civic Center,” said United Houma Nation Chief Lora Ann Chaisson. “Members of the United Houma Nation actually led the blessing for the opening of the Civic Center, and it was always our vision to have a powwow there. It was wonderful to see that happen last year, and bring it back this year.”

Powwows are important Native American gatherings which involve singing, dancing, food, crafts, storytelling, and more, but most importantly, an opportunity to connect and preserve their culture – and Terrebonne Parish‘s local tribe is no exception.

The United Houma Nation has been hosting powwows for decades, but in 2008, put a unique twist on the traditional powwow and shifted the focus to celebrating those with disabilities, as well as highlighting their Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program– inspiring the “Celebrating Abilities” theme for the event.

The United Houma Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program has been in existence for 24 years, and offers employment services for United Houma Nation and Chitimacha tribal citizens with disabilities. The goal of the program is to assist eligible individuals with disabilities in planning for, reaching, and maintaining meaningful employment. The theme for 2025’s powwow is ‘Everyone Fits,’ which will focus specifically on Autism awareness.

“Our annual Celebrating Abilities Powwow is meant to celebrate individuals with disabilities, and show that they are an important and valued part of the local workforce,” explained Jared Crosby with the United Houma Nation. “The powwow circle is the perfect place to embrace the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.”

The powwow is not just for raising awareness and promoting employment, however – there will be lots of exciting activities for everyone to enjoy. There will be traditional Native American singing and dancing, Native American dress, arts and crafts vendors, local Native American food, and more. The powwow is expected to pull Native performers and attendees from across the entirety of Louisiana, and even out-of-state – at last year‘s powwow, there were over 70 registered dancers, hailing from Louisiana, Arizona, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas.

For members of the United Houma Nation, the powwow is an incredibly important and exciting time for the community, and one of the best ways to strengthen relationships near and far. “Our powwow is really a family reunion. You see people that you haven’t seen in such a long time and it‘s wonderful,” said Chief Chaisson. “And it‘s not just for people you know, either – we have people come from across the country, and anyone who walks through those doors at our event becomes family. It‘s a southern thing!”

“It‘s just such a great opportunity to reconnect and celebrate who we are,” said Jared. “Not only that, but it provides such an important way to preserve our culture. It’s where we share our traditions, our customs, our language, and express ourselves through song, dance, storytelling, and more. It‘s one of the most important ways we stay true to who we are, and share that with other people as well.”

The 13th Annual Celebrating Abilities Powwow will take place on June 28 and 29, 2025 at the Barry P. Bonvillain Civic Center, and is free and open to the public– you do not need to be affiliated with the United Houma Nation to attend.

“We encourage everyone to come by, even if you aren’t a member of the United Houma Nation,” said Chief Chaisson. “The city of Houma is named after our tribe, and we are the ancestral inhabitants of this land, so we really would love people to stop by, learn about our culture, and embrace this tradition. It‘s a huge undertaking, and we want everyone to come celebrate with us.”

So mark your calendars and grab your family for the wonderfully unique 13th Annual Celebrating Abilities Powwow, where everyone can come together to celebrate heritage, promote inclusion, and recognize the valuable contributions of people with disabilities to the workforce and beyond– while our bayou culture shines brightly for all to experience.