2025 Powwows: Celebrating Native Americans - 20 Stamp Sheet - Forever - MNH

The U.S. Postal Service honors the music, dance, and rich cultural traditions of Native Americans with the new Powwows: Celebrating American Culture Forever® stamps.

Four stamps in a pane of 20 showcase original paintings of Native American dancers by Cochiti Pueblo artist Mateo Romero. The artist took photographs of four different dancers in traditional clothing performing his or her dance against a brightly colored background that highlights the dancer’s shaping and movement. He then painted on top of the photographs with thick, brightly colored brushstrokes to create the abstract expressionistic images gracing the stamps. The dances featured are the Crow Hop, Women’s Traditional, Women’s Fancy Shawl, and Men’s Hoop. The name of each dance appears on each stamp. A large powwow drum is showcased on the selvage along with the title of the issuance “Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture.”

Powwows are festive gatherings where Indigenous people can celebrate their identities through dance, prayer, music, and art. Participants also socialize, enjoy traditional foods, and introduce and educate younger generations to the tribe-specific and Pan-Native customs of Native American people.

Drums are essential to powwows and are often referred to as the “heartbeat” of the gathering. Powwows open with a grand entry parade with Native veterans, tribal elders, dancers, and musicians. Main events include traditional and competitive dancing, singing, pageantry, the honoring of ancestors, arts and crafts, and giveaways or donations to those in need.