Marvin "Joe" Curry Veterans Powwow Celebrates 35 Years at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino
Marvin "Joe" Curry Veterans Powwow Celebrates 35 Years at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino
One of New York's longest-running powwows returns to Salamanca for a weekend of Indigenous culture, traditional dancing, veterans' tributes, artist demonstrations, and community celebration.
Now in its 35th year, the Marvin “Joe” Curry Veterans Powwow is taking place this weekend, July 17-19, at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd., Salamanca. Whether you’re planning to visit for just one day or interested in the full weekend, there is plenty to learn and explore, including artist demonstrations, vendors, dance contests, and much more.
While not originally a Seneca tradition, modern powwows have roots in the 19th century Plains Grass Dance Societies, who created gatherings to honor their culture through dance, music, and community. Not only did these 19th century powwows bring people together in celebration, but they also provided the means to preserve Indigenous ceremonies and cultures during the reservation era, when tribes were split up, relocated, and in some cases, merged with others. In the late 1980s, the Seneca Nation began organizing powwows to preserve and celebrate Seneca identity, and the MJC Veterans Powwow is now among the oldest and longest running powwows in New York state.
As its name indicates, the upcoming powwow honors military servicemen and women and veterans. Its namesake, Joe Curry, was born on the Cattaraugus Territory and a member of the Seneca Nation’s Snipe Clan. From 1950 to 1970, Chief Warrant Officer Boatswain Curry served on active duty in the U.S. Navy and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. A decorated naval officer, Curry served on eight different ships throughout his career, including the USS Little Rock. The ship is now permanently docked as a museum ship at the Buffalo Naval & Military Park, which Curry helped establish during his time as the first superintendent of the park from 1977 to 1997. Throughout Curry’s later years, he supported Seneca Nation veterans and worked to establish a Veterans Affairs advocate initiative for the Seneca Nation and was a strong proponent of the work of Iroquois Post 1587.
The weekend begins on Friday at 2:00pm when gates and vendors open; registration also opens for dancers and singers. The night’s dances begin with an Honor Dance led by Alan Dowdy at 6:00pm in the casino event center. The dance celebrates Councillor Tina Abrams, Wolf Clan, as the 2026 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction representing the 57th Senate District; notably, Abrams is the first Indigenous woman to ever be selected as a New York State Senate Woman of Distinction since the program was created in 1998.
On Saturday, gates and vendors open at 10:00am, which will be followed shortly by the Veterans Suicide Awareness & Healing Ceremony that all are welcome to attend. Throughout the day and into the evening, more than a dozen different dance contests will take place, including intertribal dancing, the Head Lady All-Star Special, Hand Drum Special, and more. Saturday’s events conclude at 11:00pm. On Sunday, gates and vendors once again open at 10:00am, and the dancing begins at noon. Sunday also includes social dancing, where all are welcome to join in, and winners of the weekend’s dance contests will be announced. The powwow concludes at 6:00pm.
In addition to dancing, the powwow celebrates art and culture, as the Seneca Iroquois National Museum’s Culture Revitalization Tent will feature live artist demonstrations throughout the entire weekend, including pottery, beadwork, painting/drawing, basketry/cornhusk, tumpline weaving, black ash splint woven hat, tufting, weaving, quillwork and wampum.
For more information about the MJC Veterans Powwow, including a full schedule of events, day pass and weekend pass pricing, lodging, maps, and dance contest prize money, visit www.senecapowwow.org.