Faces of the Potawatomi Gathering 2023
PINE CREEK INDIAN RESERVATION — Over 2,000 Potawatomi citizens from 11 Potawatomi tribal nations gathered this past week in southwest Michigan at the Pine Creek Indian Reservation, near Battle Creek and the tribe's Firekeepers Casino Hotel for the Potawatomi Gathering 2023.
Hosted by the Nottawasseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, the Potawatomi Gathering kicked off on Monday with language workshops, On Thursday, Potawatomi leaders met to discuss common issues and on Friday the Potawatomi Economic Summit was held to discuss the various means each tribe is improving tribal business enterprises owned by the Potawatomi tribal nations.
The Potawatomi Gathering was established in the summer of 1994 by the Wasauksing First Nation to revitalize the Potawatomi culture, language, and identity.
This year's gathering represents the fourth time the Nottawasseppi Huron Band has hosted the annual gathering.
Due to rain during the day on Friday, a powwow planned at the powwow grounds of the Pine Creek Indian Reservation was moved to the Firekeepers Casino Hotel. A crowd of over 800 attended the powwow that attracted over five drums and hundreds of dancers dressed in regalia. Vererans from various parts of the country represented their Potawatomi tribal honor guards.
With blue skies with temperatures in the low 80s, the powwow was held on the reservation where Nottawasseppi Band of the Potwatomi Chairman Jaime Stuck welcomed the Potawatomi tribal nations to his tribe's homelands.
Next year in 2024, the Potawatomi Gathering will be hosted by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in Dowagiac, Michigan.
{gallery}Potawatomi Gathering 2023{/gallery}
About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net."
Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net
