Earlier this month, the 12th Annual Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) Powwow was held at Fort Mason-Festival Pavilion, San Francisco. BAAITS is the first established and largest public stand-alone Two-Spirit powwow in the world.
Longtime advocate, Angel C. Fabian (he/she/they), known in ceremonial spaces as Tlahuizpapalotl (Butterfly of Light), has been named BAAITS Executive Director, and M. Zamora has been named BAAITS Program Manager.
“I take the role of Executive Director with great honor and humility and have learned the importance of becoming the elder I would have liked to have had, of being open to learning and teachings from all members in the community, including the young and aging, and of the need to (re)create vibrant transformative spaces for Two-Spirit community members,” said Angel.
A powwow is a traditional Native American event that gathers all tribes as well as inviting non-Native guests to learn more about Native cultures. The event welcomed more than 5,000 people from all over the San Francisco Bay Area. Vendors were on site selling frybread, buffalo burgers, Native art, jewelry, and other crafts. The powwow featured several hours of ceremonial honor dances, contest dances, and a drum contest.
“Two-Spirit” is a Native American term for people with both female and male energies. Two-Spirits may (or may not) also identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Traditionally Two-Spirits often held—and many still hold— honored positions in their Native American and First Nations communities. “Two-Spirit” is a pan-tribal term—it is rooted in the Anishinaabe term describing such individuals: “niizh manidoowag.” This translates literally as “two spirits”- embodying both the feminine and the masculine in all of us.
BAAITS Powwow Coordinators Javier Stell-Fresquez and J Miko Thomas welcomed attendees to the powwow. Committee advisor Amelia emphasizes, “This is a space for all of us to gather respectfully and celebrate Native traditions. Whether you are African-American, Native American, White, gay, straight, transgender, whoever you are and wherever your roots originated, come with curiosity and kindness and you will enjoy the company of 5,000 like-minded good and connected people as we celebrate traditions of music and art and togetherness.”
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