Native American culture was on display Saturday and Sunday at Mauch Chunk Lake Park.

A pow wow, hosted by the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, attracted several dozen Native Americans. They were from various tribes and wore traditional attire as they performed ceremonial dances.

During some of their circle dances, spectators participated. Men, women and children joined the Native Americans as they circled around a roped-area, dancing to the beat of pelt-covered drums.

The event was attended by hundreds of people on Saturday, but rain kept the crowds down on Sunday.

Among the highlights was a hoop dance by two local performers, Joachin “Star Cloud” Wuebber of Brodheadsville and Matt “White Eagle” Clair of Weatherly. Both are considered among the top hoop dancers on the East Coast.

White Eagle danced with 28 hoops simultaneously while Star Cloud used 22 hoops. The hoops swirled on their arms, legs, hips and neck during their routines. At the end of their respective dances, each man peeled their hoops one at a time and enjoined them to create atom-shaped balls.

Star Cloud, a graduate of Pleasant Valley High School and Bloomsburg University, returned home recently after living the past two years in Scottsdale, Arizona. His father, Don “Wild Eagle” Wuebber, has been a local booster of his Native American heritage for many years and attended the pow wow to watch the two dancers perform.

A member of the Maricopa Pima Tribe of Arizona, Star Cloud said he has doing Native American dances since he was three or four years old and has been working with hoops the past five or six years.

Star Cloud said, “It’s good to see all the people I grew up with at one spot.”

White Eagle, a member of the Mikmaq Tribe of Canada, is originally from New Brunswick, Canada. He said, “Dancing is in my blood. From a young age I was taught to dance.”

He said hoop dancing originated from the Hopi Tribe. He said he’s been doing it for about three years, learning it from You Tube videos. “I’ve incorporated my own style,” he said.

He said he and White Eagle have been friends for years. “He’s like my neighbor,” he said.

What was fascinating for many attendees was the garb worn by the dancers. Women wore tunics, dresses, beads and legging. Men had feathered hats, animal skin clothing, and mukluks. The attire ranged from bright assorted colors to basic single-color garb.

The dancers keep their beat to drums played by a nine-member band.

Among the spectators was a Boy Scout troop from Philadelphia. Fourteen boys and six girls from Troop 339 earned their Indian Lore Badge. Some of the female Scouts participated in the dancing circle.

An area surrounding the dance circle had numerous vendors selling original Native American items including earrings, dream catches, purses, shirts and beads.

The Lenape Nation of Pa. had representatives from their Cultural Center in Easton. The Lenape Nation sold coloring books, story books and souvenir T-shirts.

One of the individuals taking part in many of the dances was Jonathan “Swift Arrow” Baca of Brigantine, New Jersey. Baca, originally from Colorado and a member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, said this is his first time at the Mauch Chunk pow wow, although he attends as events as he can.

Of the Mauch Chunk Park event, he said, “I love it. I love the people. I love the dancing. I love the history. I love that the Native American history is passed down to our younger generations.”

He said he has been dancing since he was about 7.

Especially important, he said, is “how our indigenous culture is reflected today and of the past.”