DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON

DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON

When the word powwow is used in conversation, chances are it is either referring to a meeting or being used as a verb, as in "Let's powwow about this later." But the term, which comes from American Indian culture, has a different primary meaning: "A powwow is basically a celebration," said Kamala Cesar, the founder and artistic director of Lotus Music & Dance. "It's a way to come together to share your culture and your dances. You're giving thanks for everything that you have: your family, the food that we eat, the clothes that we wear. You're saying thanks to the creator by dancing."

Ms. Cesar's organization will present the Drums Along the Hudson festival on Sunday in Inwood Hill Park, the eighth version of an annual event that has grown from a few hundred participants its first year to several thousand recently. Beyond the main-stage dance and music performances, the storytelling for children and other events, a traditional powwow is the festival's centerpiece.

Lotus, Ms. Cesar said, aims to preserve the traditional music and dance of many cultures. Though the American Indian culture is the focus on Sunday, the festival also includes performances by Japanese, Korean and Brazilian troupes, among others.

Beginning at noon, a procession of American Indians from several tribes, in traditional regalia, will move from the main stage to a powwow field, where honorees will be introduced. Louis Mofsie, the founder of the Thunderbird American Indian dancers, will be commended for his efforts to keep American Indian culture alive, and two musicians will be honored for their work on behalf of environmental causes: the singer-songwriters Tom Chapin and Melky Jean.

Environmentalism, a buzzword today, is an old concept in American Indian culture. "The philosophy is you don't take more than you need," Ms. Cesar said. "That has always been there in Native American culture, and so we wanted to tie in that philosophy with the problems we are having today with our environment."

After the honors, Thunderbird, which includes dancers from several Indian tribes, will present an honor dance. Other traditional dances, some of them involving audience participation, like one last year, above, will follow.

(Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine, Inwood Hill Park, 218th Street and Indian Road, four blocks west of Broadway, 212-627-1076, drumsalongthehudson.org; free.) STEVEN McELROY

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