By Mike Donahue

Moapa Valley Progress

Dancers compete in last year’s Veterans Day Pow-Wow behind the Moapa Paiute Tribal store. Photo by Mike Donahue.

The 20th Annual Southern Paiute Veterans Pow-Wow will be held this Saturday and Sunday at Veteran’s Park behind the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza off exit 75 on I-15.

The grand entry is scheduled Saturday at 1 p.m. and again Sunday at noon. Additionally, there will be gourd dances both days at 11 a.m. with an evening dance session scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The emcee this year is Val Shadowhawk, Cree/Blackfeet, out of Sacramento.

Alexis Ortega of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes from Utah is the 2011 veterans princess.

The public is invited to attend all dances. A $1,000 prize will be awarded in the iron man contest and the Southern Paiute Veterans Association is sponsoring the fancy and grassdancer competition.

A $1,000 prize will be awarded in the Iron woman contest, fancy and jingle dance 19 years old and older.

The northern host drum is Red Storm, whose lead singer is Brian Perkins, Navajo, from California. The southern host drum is Southern Soul, lead singer, Rance Redhouse, Navajo, Keyanta, AZ.