How Skylar spends her summers (pow wow coverage)

Skyler Ballew (shown) was practically born on the pow wow circuit, says her dad, Jefferson.

Skyler's at 26th Annual Sault Tribe Pow Wow with her older sister, younger brother, mom and dad.

She and her whole family spend every summer traveling from pow wow to pow wow, dancing for prize money to get to the next pow wow and maybe stopping at McDonalds along the way.

Jefferson and Elizabeth (Skyler's mom) have been dancing pow wow since before Skyler's older sister (Sarah, now 14) was born.

"I am from California and Elizabeth is from Michigan," Jefferson said. "She was raised in a traditional family and grew up with these ways. So when I met her I started to follow it too."

He said the pow wow is a celebration of the family's heritage, generations that have danced before and a way to teach generations to come about their family and its values.

"It's a time to celebrate, it's a time to come together and to show our talents," he said. "Our regalia tells a story about who we are; our family, our clan and our nation."

The whole family works together to make their regalia, Jefferson said.

"I like to joke that I do the feathers and leathers and she does the sewing and bead work," said Jefferson about Elizabeth. "Really, she does most of it but Skyler and Sarah are starting to do a lot more of the bead work on their own regalia."

He said Calvin is starting to learn how to do some of the work but hasn't really taken an interest in it, yet, although he really loves to dance.

"It's the kids that keep us going," he said. "Sometimes we are worried about how we're going to pay for the trip but they're just worried about seeing their friends again and pow wow."

Jefferson said he and his family really appreciate the contest pow wows on the circuit because prize money and gifts make it possible for the family to continue to travel the circuit and enjoy their way of life.