The Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, in partnership with Evanston Township High School, hosted its second annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Powwow at the school’s Willie May Field House Monday afternoon.
Gichigamiin Executive Director Kim Vigue, a citizen of the Oneida Nation and descendant of the Menominee Nation, said the idea to host a powwow at ETHS arose from the school’s efforts to atone for a 2022 incident in which administrators prevented a Native student from walking at graduation after he added an eagle feather and traditional Ojibwe beadwork to his cap.
While last year’s powwow aimed to “repair and honor” the community impacted by the district’s decision, Vigue said this year’s event centered on celebrating recent achievements in Chicago’s Native American community.
Vigue specifically pointed to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s reclamation of Shabbona Lake State Park and the groundbreaking of the Jigzbik affordable housing complex, the first Native American-focused affordable housing project in Chicago. The complex will finally make good on promises associated with the federal government’s Native American Urban Relocation program, which brought many Indigenous people to the area decades ago, Vigue added.
“A lot of times Chicago’s Native community is invisible,” Vigue said. “Considering it’s a very large and diverse community, we wanted to do our part to bring visibility to this community and its diversity, resilience and strength.”
In a brief speech, District 202 Superintendent Marcus Campbell welcomed attendees and said ETHS is uniquely committed to teaching about Native communities.
“All day today, thousands of ETHS students engaged in activities and learning around Indigenous culture and contributions,” he said. “We do this today as an act of love, an act of solidarity — as partners. And I’ll also say, in a time where people are emboldened by their hate, we are emboldened by love.”
Community members observed and participated in dancing on the arena floor while dozens of vendors sold traditional and contemporary Native art, jewelry and food nearby.
For Andrew Johnson, treasurer of the museum’s board and founder of the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, the event presented a unique opportunity to promote Native artists and entrepreneurs.
“It is wonderful to see the number of Native entrepreneurs that are here selling their jewelry and everything,” Johnson said. “They make it all themselves. That’s what’s really, really neat — you get a personal creation from Native people who live in this area.”
Vigue said Native Americans need community events like Monday’s powwow now more than ever, and Johnson echoed her sentiment. Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day helps community members “make a stand” against recent developments in Washington, D.C., Johnson said.
Among those celebrating was Ronnie Preston, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Nation and a vendor at the powwow. He said that while Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a welcome opportunity to highlight Native culture, he takes pride in his heritage year-round.
“When I go talk and perform, I always tell people, ‘Oh, yeah, we get one day a year to celebrate being Indigenous,’” Preston said. “I’m Indigenous every day, and I wear my hair in a braid very proudly. I work with our community.”
Full-time artist Negwes White, who is Ojibwe and Navajo, said he “pretty much” makes his living dancing and selling jewelry at events like Monday’s powwow.
White said his performances help challenge stereotypes about contemporary Native life.
“My presenting creates change because kids aren’t aware of Native Americans today, in the 21st century, so when I talk about Fortnite and Bad Bunny, they’re like ‘You’re listening to that?’” White said. “I’m human just like you. I have a culture that I came from that I don’t want to forget, and I want to make sure my children know it as well.”
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