NIOBRARA, Neb.- The Ponca tribe of Nebraska is hosting their 31st annual Pow Wow bringing the five service areas together.

“A lot of us love coming up here, all of us have jobs so sometimes people can’t make it,” Calista Foster said, “But for the most part we do see a large sum of our relatives coming up here.”

The Ponca tribe does not have a reservation, instead they have service areas in Norfolk, Niobrara, Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux City.

Pow Wows give the tribe the opportunity to celebrate, forget a loss, and remember peace. but most traditions are still the same.

“A lot of it has special meaning, it’s been done a certain way for a very long time,” Samuelson Mercier said, “And we still follow a lot of those ways. some of them have changed but we still follow the same thing.”

Some grew up knowing their culture and it's importance, while some did not like Calista Foster, who said she is still learning her culture.

“I do have two younger sisters, and me and my mom, and my family made it a point to make sure they know where their coming from, to participate and understand the meaning of dancing." Foster said

The grand entry was a kick off to the four days worth of events this weekend.

Being spread around the state means they do not get to come home as often:

“A lot of us have two homes, we have where we spend most of the year and then we have Niobrara,” Foster said.

Groups played drums while others danced and walked around the arena.

A weekend full of drums, dancing, and singing is underway for the Ponca tribe.