Gathering of Nations returns for a celebration of Indigenous culture

Apr. 19—Forty years.

This is the milestone that Gathering of Nations will celebrate when the 2023 iteration begins on Thursday, April 27, with Miss Indian World.

By Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, thousands of dancers and spectators will arrive on the Expo New Mexico grounds to celebrate Indigenous culture.

Founder and director Derek Mathews has been there through all of the highs and lows.

"The legacy that has been laid for generations to come is what I'm most proud of," Mathews says. "There are some people that don't know a world without Gathering of Nations. We had to go virtual in 2020, but have been slowly coming back."

The Gathering of Nations, which first took place in 1983, has grown into the largest powwow in North America. It serves as a platform for Indigenous peoples from the United States, Canada and beyond to come together and share their unique traditions while fostering cross-cultural understanding and respect.

Planned events include the grand entry of dancers, which takes place both April 28-29.

There will also be a horse and rider parade, while entertainers grace Stage 49, which features more than a dozen acts.

Tickets for Miss Indian World are $15, while one-day admission is $20. A two-day wristband for GON is $45. Tickets are available at gatheringofnations.com or at the door at Expo New Mexico during the event.

Mathews says there's been a ton of hard work put into each event.

He's also been humbled by the event's reach.

"When I travel, people will recognize me as being with the festival," he says. "They might not remember my name, but they know I'm with the powwow. It's always amazing because I can be far away from home."

Mathews says the first large crowd for the festival was in 1990 when the event was held at the Pit.

"We had about 27,000 or 28,000 people on a Saturday night," he says. "That started us into the realm of having big crowds."

Albuquerque economic impact studies have determined that Gathering of Nations sees upward of 80,000 guests and generates more than $20 million in the local economy, based on an analysis from the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

In 2010, Mathews recalls the event was held outdoors at the football field while the Pit was being renovated.

"It was 20 degrees outside," he says. "The crowd looked like a postage stamp on that field. It was weird and different. There were fires burning up north and we got rain and snow that weekend. All 19 pueblos performed a Buffalo Dance and we like to think those dances helped get us the moisture."

In May 2016, the University of New Mexico announced that it would no long host Gathering of Nations, which left the event without a home for the first time in more than 30 years.

Expo New Mexico stepped in and is now the home for Gathering of Nations.

Mathews says it's those moments that helped define how strong the event is.

In 2020, the pandemic forced the event to not happen, once again, Mathews was concerned.

"Culture is a delicate thing to keep going," he says. "My fear was that younger people were going to lose interest in their culture. I didn't want them to get into many distractions. This event has always been about preserving our culture, all while educating the masses."

Gathering of Nations

WHEN: Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29

WHERE: Expo New Mexico, 300 San Pedro Dr. NE

INFORMATION: Visit gatheringofnations.com for full schedule and tickets