The Ponca Tribe has a rich and enduring culture rooted in tradition, community, and song. Before there forced removal by the U.S. Military. The Poncas lived near the Niobrara Rivera confluence of the Missouri River in present-day Nebraska and South Dakota; the Ponca people thrived in this location through many generations until their forced removal in 1877. Due to an error by the U.S.   government mistakenly included the Ponca's established 96,000-acre reservation (guaranteed by an 1865 treaty) within the newly designated boundaries of the Great Sioux Reservation in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. This oversight led to violent conflicts with the Sioux, who claimed the land by U.S. law, and ultimately forced the federal government to begin the tragic removal of the Ponca to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) in 1877. During the Ponca Trail of tears many lives were lost in the 55-day, 280-mile march at military gunpoint claimed nearly a third of the tribe due to disease, freezing spring rains, floods, muddy roads, and exhaustion. One of the tragedies that befell the Poncas was the loss of the 18-month-old White Buffalo girl, the daughter of Black Elk and Moon hawk. She succumbed to what was believed to be pneumonia and died near present day Neligh, Nebraska. The Military forced the Poncas to move on. On May 23, 1877, Her grieving father asked the townspeople of Neligh to care for her grave a local carpenter made a coffin, and the towns people buried her in their cemetery . For generations, the community has faithfully honored that promise to this day. Eventually settling in Kay County near the area now known as Ponca City. Soon after arriving the son of the Ponca Chief Standing Bear's teenage son Bear Shield died and his dying request, he asked his father to bury him in their homelands along the Niobrara River. This led to the historical landmark case in 1879 Standing Bear v. Crook in Omaha, Nebraska. The
court ruled for the first time that Native Americans were legally recognized "persons" under U.S. law, granting them the right to habeas corpus and freedom from unlawful military detention.
Despite these hardships, the Ponca people continued to protect and carry on their traditions and way of life. The Tribe still continues to celebrate its culture through the modern pow-wow's, ceremonial dances, hand games, storytelling, arts and crafts, ceremonies and community gatherings together. During the Christmas Season the Poncas Host a week-long of events each day from Christmas day to New Years Eve. They have dances or handgames to celebrate the coming calander new year. During the Spring the very 1st weekend of April and every sunday after in April, the Ponca Men gather to play a traditional stick ball game called Shinny. This is a very physical sport and includes all Ponca men of all ages some are introduces at a very young age and some men are still active in their 60's and 70's that still play. The Ponca community's religious background has churches from the United Methodist, First Church of the Nazarene, Baptist and Native American Church that continue to play an important role in the spiritual life of the tribe.
The Ponca Tribe is also recognized for creating the modern Pow Wow and the Modern Men's Fancy Dance, a vibrant and energetic display of movement it is the fastest, brightest, and most athletic of all powwow dance styles. It's high-energy displays of stamina, feature lightning fast footwork, spins, jumps, and acrobatic movements to keep pace with the rapid drumbeats. It is a style that has spread to all Native tribes and communities across the North American continent. The modern Pow Wow made its debut during the Miller Brother's 101 Wild West Show. During this time the U.S. Government had prohibited all tribes from practicing tradition ceremonies and dances, they believed it would make the reservation Indians more hostile. The only place to see Native Americans sing and dance traditional War dance style was in these wild west shows. The Ponca people played an important role in the Miller's 101 ranch wild west show, where Ponca performers helped share the culture, horsemanship, song, and traditions of the region with audiences across the country and around the world during the early 1900's.
Today the Ponca people continue to honor their heritage and proudly share their culture and traditions every year in late August,  Here in Historic White Eagle Park the Ponca people host a 4-day Pow Wow they return to a semi-traditional way of life and families setup traditional camps and share food and gather with one another. The Ponca People are the only tribe to host the World Championship Fancy Dance contest and the World Championship Straight Dance Contest. The Ponca people gladly welcome visitors to join them and dance or spectate during this 4-day Pow Wow.