FACES FROM THE LAND Twenty Years of Powwow Tradition<br />

From Seattle to New Jersey, crossing through the South and Midwest, the drum of the powwow calls dancers of many stripes. By day they may be construction workers, computer operators, students, or blackjack dealers, but on weekends the ageless rhythms brings them together to celebrate a culture both ancient and modern. Travelling to over 30 cities every year the photographer Ben Marra sets up a makeshift studio at each powwow and invites participants to be photographed in full costume. Their pictures and accompanying commentary tell a story of a new generation of Native Americans, determined and honor-bound to keep the dancing tradition alive.

Road, this new book by the Marras presents more photographs and testimonies. Faces from the Land reveals the dancers, who, united by the ageless rhythms of the powwow drums, come from many tribes, different trades, and every corner of North America and celebrate customs both ancient and modern, bringing them together as a proud community to preserve tribal traditions.
Since 1988, photographer Ben Marra and his wife, Linda, have crisscrossed the nation to document the majestic dance regalia worn at Native American powwows. Traveling to over 30 cities a year, Ben Marra invites participants into his makeshift studio to be photographed in full traditional dress, while Linda records the stories behind their outfits and dance. The resulting images are stunning, and capture not only the brilliant colors and incredible craftsmanship of the regalia, but the personal journeys that inspired them.