Without drums, there would be no powwow. They are the driving force, the beat, behind the dancers. Their songs resonate in everyone celebrating the event.

At the 16th Annual Wildhorse Pow Wow, the host drum takes on the role of providing that beat. This year the host drum, Blackfoot Confederacy, came all the way from Montana and Alberta, Canada.

They have come to previous Wildhorse powwows, all the way back to the first, said Jay Dusty Bull, a member of the group. But it is special to be named host drum.

“It’s one of the highest honors a drum can achieve,”?he said.

As host drum they play the first song, the last song and any songs in between the powwow organizers need.

Blackfoot Confederacy travels all over the west and midwest throughout the summer going to different powwows, Dusty Bull said.

There are big differences between casino-style powwows like the one at Wildhorse and traditional powwows, he said.

At casino powwows a lot of emphasis is on competition. At traditional powwows there are no competitions. More emphasis is on social ceremonies.

But at every powwow, Dusty Bull said one thing is the same. There is a connection within drum groups and between drum groups.

“There’s some sort of a bond with each other,”?he said. “Each group has respect for each other.”

Through that respect and connection, they keep the powwows going.

“Without the powwow drummers,” Dusty Bull said, “there is no powwow.”