The 29th Annual Coushatta Powwow in Kinder is bringing together tribal members and visitors from across the country to celebrate, preserve, and pass down Native American culture through art, tradition, and storytelling.
Held at the Coushatta Casino Resort Pavilion, the two-day gathering features traditional dance, music, and a wide range of handmade crafts that reflect generations of heritage.
For Coushatta Tribal Archivist Raynella Fontenot, the powwow represents more than a cultural event—it is a living expression of connection and community.
“It’s so vibrant, you can feel the energy. You walk into this pavilion, and you feel that good energy and you hear the beats of the drum — you can feel that connectedness and togetherness that we want,” Fontenot said.
As an archivist, Fontenot plays a key role in preserving the tribe’s history while also ensuring that cultural knowledge is passed on to younger generations.
She said that responsibility extends beyond documentation and into daily life, especially within her own family.
“I take the time to share it with my children, my nieces, my nephews—any of the youth within our tribe,” Fontenot said.
That commitment to cultural preservation is reflected in the next generation, including her daughter, Aubrey Fontenot, who serves as a Coushatta Junior Princess. In that role, she helps represent the tribe while participating in events that highlight its traditions and values.
“It can be a very big responsibility, but after doing it for a while you start to get used to it,” Aubrey Fontenot said.
She added that the powwow serves as an important space for unity and connection among families and community members.
“Its a place where people of the community can come together and just enjoy something, and it can bring family and people together,” she said.
Raynella Fontenot has attended the Coushatta Powwow since its earliest days and has witnessed its growth from a small gathering into one of the largest powwows in the southern United States. She recalled its early beginnings and the limited conditions compared to today’s large-scale event.
“It was out in the middle of a cowfield. There were no accommodations as far as shade, and seeing it grow little by little has been encouraging and has drawn so many people for us today now that we’re known for being one of the largest powwows in the southern United states,” Fontenot said.
The 29th Annual Coushatta Powwow continues to serve as both a celebration and a cultural bridge, bringing together generations of tribal members and visitors while highlighting the importance of preserving Native traditions for the future.
The event kicks off Friday at 5 p.m. and continues Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. inside the Coushatta Casino Resort Pavilion in Kinder. Admission is open to the public.
