Arbour – Central area of the Pow-wow grounds where the drums and singers are situated.

Beadwork – The beautiful designs created by sewing beads onto a particular piece of regalia. Beads were originally made from conch shells.

Breatplate – Made from thin hallowed out bones or long beads which are strung together to cover the dancer’s chest from the shoulders down to waist or knees.

Bustles – Made from feathers which are arranged together in a radial manner. They were originally worn by only a few honored men, but now they are usually worn by men’s traditional and fancy feather dancers. Fancy feather dancers use turkey, hawk or eagle feathers, while men’s traditional dancers almost always use eagle feathers.

Giveaways – A universal custom among the peoples of Turtle Island. Turtle Island societies believe that a person who is being honored should provide gifts to other members of the society. Giveaways are appropriate for the big events in a person’s life, such as being the head dancer or entering the dance area in regalia for the first time. Giveaways by people being honored or in honor of someone else are common at Pow-wows.

Grand Entry – The parade of dancers which opens each pow-wow session. The Eagle Staffs are carried first into the circle, followed by the national flag and any other flag, usually carried by Veterans. The head dancers, along with any princesses or princes in attendance, and invited dignitaries are next in order. The men’s dancers follow next, and then the women’s dancers, then the junior girls, with the little boys and girls last. After the Grand Entry, there is a Flag Song and then a prayer by an Elder in his/her language. The Eagle Staffs and the flags are then placed by the arbor.

Honor Songs – Requested to honor a person for almost any reason, including a deceased person. People are requested to stand during honor songs.

Inter-tribals – Songs which belong to no particular nation. Most inter-tribals are sung with vocals instead of words. They have become very popular because anyone can dance to these songs, which results in more people dancing.

Roach – Type of headdress made from porcupine and deer hair. There are usually several rows of hair tied to a woven base, which allows the hair to stand up and move grace fully as the dancer mover. It is attached by a roach pin to braid of hair or to strings tied around the head. Longer roaches are now in style, varying from 18 to 22 inches in length. Two feathers are usually attached to the roach.

Round Dance – Usually held at the beginning of a pow-wow session. The dancers form a large circle in the dance area, with each dance style remaining together. A song is sung with a heavy 1-2-1 pattern and the dancers move laterally around the dance area. The faster styles dance closer to the arbor, and the slower styles dance farther away. Round dances are usually sung in sets of three or four songs.

Two-Step – The head men’s dancer and the head women’s dancer dance together and lead a long string of paired dancers. The women usually ask the men to dance, and the men must dance when asked. The two-step can become very intricate, with the pairs splitting apart for a time and then rejoining later. People usually end up laughing as they dot eh two-step.

Fancy Feather Dancers – This is a men’s type of dance that consists of brightly colored regalia with twin feather bustles worn on the back. Their regalia features bright ribbons and brightly colored cloth, as well as great amounts of beadwork, including beaded headband, medallions, armbands and cuffs. The roach consists of two feathers is worn on the head moving freely as the dancer moves. It is a dance style with fast and intricate footwork combined with up and down spins that is much more energetic than other men’s styles. The quick moves of this style require agility and stamina.

Grass Dancers – This type of men’s dance consists of a swaying dance style which features loose and flowing movements along with an emphasis on shoulder-shaking. The Grass Dancer usually is the ones that open the Pow-wow as the grass is stomped down allowing the other dancers to have a smooth dance ground. Their regalia have very colorful yarn and ribbon which allows the dancer to move their fringes in as many places as possible, creating a style which flows as the wind.

Men’s Traditional Dancers – The traditional male dancer is distinguished by the style of their dance which portrays the dancer’s quest for game. A large eagle feather bustle is worn on the back shaped like a U, extending up past the shoulder and points upwards. They wear loud bells on the ankles, a beaded breastplate over their shirt and carry a variety of sacred objects, including the eagle wing fan. The dancer takes two steps with one foot and then two steps with the other, and moving his body and head as though he is hunting for game.

Fancy Shawl Dancers – This women’s dance style is with high-stepping footwork and a whirl of beauty, agility and grace as they keep time with the music. Their style mimics butterflies in flight and the shawls imitating wings. The regalia consists of a brightly-colored shawl which is held with outstretched arms and worn over the shoulders and is decorated with ribbon fringes, elaborate designs, and appliqué. It is a dance style that emphasizes a constant whirl of graceful jumps, spins and intricate footwork.