For some, Gathering of Nations is a generational tradition

Melvin Dunkan has been coming from Shiprock to Gathering of Nations for over 20 years, long enough to see his sons grow up and start families of their own.

“Twenty years later, it’s pretty neat to see your family depart from your nest and now they’re bringing their own family here. It’s pretty awesome,” Dunkan said.

Dunkan will be dancing this year, as will his 23-year-old son and 2-year-old grandson.

“My wife made his outfit. So, his grandma made his outfit,” Dunkan said.

Dunkan started dancing in high school and he’ll compete in Northern Traditional. Over the years, he’s seen the event change, moving from the Pit, where the event was held from 1986 to 2016, to Expo New Mexico as the gathering has grown. But the dancing has stayed the same, Dunkan said.

Gathering of Nations typically draws tens of thousands of people, and organizers expect the annual event to bring 3,000 Native American singers and dancers to compete.

Siblings Xavier Toehay, 23, Candelinn Toehay, 17, and Keaton Toehay, 13, drove eight hours with their family from Oklahoma to dance at Gathering of Nations. They’ve been coming since they were small children, and the whole family will be dancing.

Part of what makes the gathering enjoyable is seeing dancers from all over converge at one powwow, according to Xavier Toehay.

“We just get to see friends and family that come down, and get to talk to different people that come down from different states,” Keaton Toehay said.

Xavier and Keaton Tohey dance Southern Straight, while Candelinn Tohey dances Southern Buckskin.

“It’s pretty much made out of buckskin, my fringe,” she said. “They say that the story behind it is you either cover your tracks from behind when it flows behind you or it’s like the grass moving and it covers your footprints.”

The family takes its dancing seriously.

“It’s like football playing,” Xavier Toehay said. “You watch film, and then you take notes. ... We’ve always got to do better.”

Betty Kaquitts also made a long journey to attend the powwow: a two-day drive from Alberta, Canada, with 21 family members in several vehicles. She is attending Gathering of Nations for the ninth time.

“My grandson, it’s his first time dancing this year. We have dancers in the family. Before, we just came and watched, but this year they’re going to compete,” she said.

Kaquitts enjoys watching the dancers and the parade, but she also comes to Gathering of Nations to shop. There are more than 800 Native artisans, traders and craftsman selling their work at this year’s gathering, according to organizers.