“Lift those knees; let’s see how high you can get,” Darrell Walden was directing Saturday afternoon. “We’re going to be doing the crow hop.”

Those inside the sacred circle, a fire smoldering in the middle, waited for the beat of drums and the chanting. When it began, some dipped and bowed in sort of a prance, while others, arms outstretched, swayed with the music in a rhythmic clockwise rotation around the fire.

Saturday was the first of the two-day Rhode Island Indian Council powwow at City Park in Warwick. It was a “free” powwow, said Darrell, council executive director. He explained the powwow was “free” of competitions, meaning that the drumming and dancing weren’t being judged. Rather, this was a social powwow aimed at bringing people together to share and educate about Native American culture.

The council serves Native American communities in Rhode Island, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, providing job training programs and scholarships. Darrel put the native population in the area served at 65,000. Nationwide, he said, there are eight million with Native American heritage. Numbers are growing, although fewer people are enrolling in a tribe, he said.

He didn’t have an answer to why there appears to be a declining interest in heritage among Native American descendants, other than increasing population mobility and lack of geographical attachment.

That could partially explain why the turnout Saturday was less than what Darrell had hoped for. He said about 12 tribes were represented, and judging from those sitting around the circle, those dancing and gathered at booths encircling the encampment, about 150 people were in attendance. Also, this was the second year the powwow has been held in Warwick, and Darrell knew from calls that many people weren’t familiar with Warwick or how to find to City Park. The powwow had previously been held in Providence, but when outside groups started disrupting the event, the council looked for another location. Warwick Ward 3 Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson helped bring the powwow to Warwick.

Darrell said he is hopeful the powwow would attract 10,000 to 15,000 and serve to “teach about us as a people.” While reaching those numbers seemed to be a stretch, there was no lack of sharing among those present. Several trailer campers were parked on the borders of the field; and groups gathered over barbecue grills and to trade stories in the shade of the trees.

Three Bears of Johnston was among them. He is chairman of the Algonquin Indian School and a member of the Seekonk Tribe. He teaches the Nipmuc language and runs regular classes at the Veterans Administration in Bristol with a class of 16.

One of his students, Dr. Anne Kelty of Winthrop, Mass., was at his side Saturday afternoon. She is a doctor of naturopathic medicine and spiritual healing.

Three Bears put her to the test with words to translate. She knew them instantly as a welcome greeting. Then he stumped her, asking her to say good morning in Nipmuc. He said the words and then offered the translation, “first light.”

Indeed, there is a lot to illuminate from the ways and beliefs of the Native Americans. That is one goal of the Indian Council and the powwow.