Gourd Dance History and Kiowa Legend -Rusty Cozad - NIZHONI DAYS POW WOW 2025 by the KIVA CLUB UNM

Gourd Dance History and Kiowa Legend -Rusty Cozad - NIZHONI DAYS POW WOW 2025 by the KIVA CLUB UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO THIS IS A TRADITIONAL POW WOW – GOURD DANCE & EXHIBITION DANCING ALL CATEGORIES - Honoring Community, Family & Friends; with Blessings, Healing, Giveaways, And Special Honoring’s all in a good way. MC, Nick Brokeshoulder - Arena Director, Aaron Fry - Head Gourd Dancer, Russel “Rusty” Cozad Head Man, – Russel Martin – Head Woman, PrairieRose Jack Head Boy, Tafftan Big – Head Girl,Maleya Jishie JOIN NATIVE MEDIA NETWORK WITH THIS VIRTUAL PRESENTATION, SUPPORT TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY POW WOW. ABOUT THE KIVA CLUB SPONSOR OF THE NIZHONI DAYS POW WOW – UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO A group of fifteen to seventeen Native Americans established the Kiva Club in 1952, making it the first Native American organization at UNM. The Kiva Club has had and continues to have many purposes, such as representing Native American students on campus by voicing their concerns and views of the University. Kiva Club also encouraged students across UNM to become involved in the many social issues that surrounded the Native American population. For example, voting rights, public education as well as religious freedoms. Along with events that different communities held. Kiva Club also strived to help preserve Native American culture and values by again setting up a support system for new Native American students coming to the University as well as bring Nizhoni days to the campus to spread and teach others about Native American culture. The group encouraged higher education for the Native American population by going to the many Indian boarding schools throughout New Mexico talking about the importance of higher education and opportunities that could help them become future students such as finical aid and scholarships. The Kiva club also contributed to many improvements on the UNM campus along with the hosting of New Events which included the creation of the KUNM radio program, and the Native American Studies Center. New events included the Nizhoni Days Pow Wow and Nizhoni activities the first of theses events were in 1953 and were hosted on the old Zimmerman field which is still a yearly tradition at UNM. The group also co-administrated the Elva R. Benson memorial scholarship. The Kiva club still spreads awareness about social issues and preserve native American culture. The Kiva club is now one of many Native American organizations at UNM but is one of the largest and oldest student lead Native American organization in the United States.