The 36th annual Balboa Park Pow Wow kicked off on Saturday, drawing in hundreds of people from all over the country. The event celebrates and honors Native American culture and traditions.
"It gives us a chance to show who we are, and that we are still here. There are many people who do not think we exist," Ronnie Whitehorse, a registered nurse and Navajo tribe member, said.
The event was organized by the American Indian Health Center. The organization is also celebrating 45 years of serving the community with medical care and countless other services.
The Pow Wow brings tribes from all over the country together. Jim Warne, a member of the Lakota tribe of South Dakota, spoke to NBC 7 about the significance of keeping traditions like these alive.
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"Mitakuye Oyasin, in my language, means we're all related. Not only as people, but the elements of Mother Earth," Warne said.
For Warne, celebrations like this are how tribes all over the U.S. will preserve and honor Native American culture for generations to come.
"Most people don't think of San Diego County as Indian Country, but it really is when you think of the many tribal nations right within the borders of San Diego County," Warne said.
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The Pow Wow continues on Sunday for Mother's Day, when tribes will honor the love and sacrifice all mothers have made.
