In a Hot Field… in the Middle of the City 🔥 | Chandler High School Pow Wow 2026

Ya’at’ééh! Aaron Tsosie here — the person behind the camera! 🎥 Welcome to the Chandler High School Pow Wow! It was a hot one out there — temperatures were pushing around 92°F, and sitting in the sun for long periods definitely took a toll. I even caught myself yawning and thought, “I’m not even tired…” — turns out I was dealing with a bit of heat exhaustion. I made sure to take breaks in the shade when I could, especially near the MC stand, just to stay cool and keep going. There are a few moments in the video where I stepped away from the camera — I was sitting in the shade trying to cool off and not overheat. Shoutout to my camera though, it handled the heat like a champ! I was able to livestream almost the entire day… until the last 45 minutes 😅 I had taken my camera bag back to the car and left my backup battery in there. Definitely a lesson learned! Despite the heat, it was a great day overall. The sound system did get pretty loud at times — and honestly, it sounded like that in real life too, so it wasn’t the camera! Huge shoutout to Pow Wow MC and my good friend Trevor Foster — always bringing humor and good energy behind the mic. Arena Director Aaron Canez did a great job as well, especially working alongside Trevor throughout the day. Shoutout to all the drums: Host Northern – Northern Avenue Host Southern – Cozad Visiting drums – Maswadae, Forest Lake, Wild Krew, Storm Valley, Wakangli Gleska, and Sun Ray Also, big appreciation to the pow wow committee for taking care of the head staff and volunteers — keeping everyone hydrated with ice-cold water and beverages throughout the day, and providing a catered dinner from Elmer’s Tacos down the street. That kind of support goes a long way, especially in this kind of heat. Another big plus — indoor bathrooms! 🙌 Having access to the school’s restrooms instead of portapotties is always a huge win, and everything was clearly marked and easy to find. For anyone planning to attend outdoor pow wows, especially in the heat, here are a few tips: •Bring a canopy and a good chair if you’re planning to be there for a while •A sun umbrella helps a lot, especially if you’re walking around or sitting in the stands •Wear loose, breathable clothing — athletic or quick-dry materials are way better in this heat •Protect your skin — SPF 50 is a must out here •Cover up when you can: long sleeves, a wide-brim hat, and sunglasses all help •Drink lots of water — a cooler with ice goes a long way •And a cold, wet towel around your neck… that might be your best friend all day We’re a traveling community, and being prepared makes all the difference when coming out to support these events. Stay safe, stay hydrated, and I’ll see you in the next one. Ahe’hee! 🪶 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 📢 Support My Work 🎯 Help me keep documenting Indigenous events — send a tip via Venmo: @imaarontoasty 💌 Want to support long-term? Consider joining my future Patreon for early access & behind-the-scenes content (coming at 10k subscribers!) 📸 Follow My Journey 🎥 Subscribe for more Indigenous event coverage:    / @indigenouseventrecordings   📷 Best photos:   / indigenouseventrecordings   🎶 Short clips & livestreams: https://www.tiktok.com/@indigenouseve... 📖 Updates & highlights: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... 📩 Business Inquiries For collaborations or media inquiries, email: [email protected] 📄 Content Use Feel free to reuse my content — just credit and tag me!