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There’s no better place to window-shop for indigenous culture than at the Gathering of Nations.

Five hundred tribes from around North America came to The Pit over the weekend to display their music, dance, artwork and crafts.

Jarret Leaman, from Magnetawan First Nation in Canada, came to the powwow to operate a booth for York University in Toronto. He said he relished his Southwest experience.

“I’ve enjoyed the weather,” Leaman said. “I’m from Canada so the weather can be colder up there. But I have also enjoyed seeing that the aboriginal culture is so fluid in the city and around it.”

The Gathering of Nations proved exactly how fluid native culture can be. In 2008, it opened up Stage 49, where less traditional performances take place.

Chee Brossy, a creative writing major from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, said he attended the event to give a tour to his sister’s friend, who came in from Honolulu. He said Native Americans have branched out and expanded their genre platforms to adapt to the changing arts and musical landscape.

“The face of Native America is changing so much because people are moving into urban areas, and they’re being influenced by the Internet, and much more than they were just a decade ago,” he said.

Jose Enriquez