MULTICULTURAL STUDENT AFFAIRS

• Don’t point at dancers/at regalia, that’s what your lips and chin are for ;)
• Be respectful of participants and dancers—dance regalia are not costumes and permission should be asked before taking pictures of a dancer.
• The Emcee will explain and introduce the different events and dances throughout the Powwow.
  • Always stand during honoring songs including grand entry, flag songs, veteran’s songs, and other songs as designated by the emcee. Hats should also be removed. 
• Do not enter the dance arena without permission. The arena will be open to general attendees during the following dances: 
  • Intertribal, potato dance, two-step, snake dance, round dance, life givers honor song/matriarchs in our lives, blanket dance, honor songs after those being honored have gone around the circle one time
• If a drum group is singing or about to sing, do not bother them. Permission should be asked prior to recording. 
• Chairs closest to the dancing arena are reserved for dancers, singers, and elders.

The Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA) is a student organization on Northwestern University’s campus for Native American and Indigenous students and allies aiming to build a strong community. We also seek to increase visibility and awareness of our distinct cultures and the different experiences and challenges our communities face.

We host weekly gatherings amongst our group where we get to know each other, share food, plan upcoming events and actions, and talk about what’s going on in our lives.

We are so excited to be hosting our second Pow Wow on Saturday April 22, 2022, and to be in community with you all!

• Emcee: Shannon Martin  |  Citizen of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians - Gun Lake Tribe
  • Shannon Martin (Lynx Clan) is an active citizen throughout “Indian Country.” Since birth, she has participated in ancestral repatriations, ceremonies, pow wows, treaty demonstrations, and other cultural and language events. Shannon has served as an Emcee at various Great Lakes contest and traditional Pow Wows since 2014. She is the Executive Director/Founder of Cultural Pathways Group, LLC, a company that supports the development of cultural activation/preservation initiatives, community-centered organizing, exhibition research/development, NAGPRA repatriation efficacy, and strategic planning for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and institutions. Her clients include the Association on American Indian Affairs, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Michigan History Center, Mukurtu (Washington State University), and New York Times best-selling author Angeline Boulley as a Subject Matter Expert on her forthcoming second novel “Warrior Girl Unearthed” (May 2023). Shannon is the former Director of the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan) - dedicating over 19 years to the award-winning cultural center and Tribal museum. Shannon has participated on the national boards for the D’Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies at the Newberry Library, Honor the Earth, and the Research Advisory Council for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the First Peoples Fund.

• Arena Director: Mark LaRoque  |  Ojibwe
  • Mark LaRoque is a product of White Earth Reservation and Urban Indian Communities in Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago. He has worked for Indian people since 1972 as a recruiter and counselor at MATC and Marquette University before moving to Chicago to work for the American Indian Business Association in 1984. He has spent the last 25 years working as a Workforce Coordinator for California Indian Manpower. His next career will be as a poet and artist and he will be coming out with a book of poetry in 2023.

• Head Dancer: Maritza Garcia  |  Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
  • Maritza Garcia is an enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. She was born and raised in Chicago, IL and is a former CAIEC Youth Ambassador from 2013-2014 as well as Sr. Miss Indian Chicago from 2014-2016. She dances all 3 styles: traditional, old style jingle, and fancy shawl. She also is an artist that makes various items from beaded jewelry, ribbon skirts, and powwow regalia. You can purchase items at her booth or online @chachabeads_ on Facebook or Instagram.

• Head Dancer: Shane Mitchell  |  Ojibwe/Menominee
  • Shane is a mens traditional and woodland dancer coming from the Lac du Flambeau Band Lake Superior Ojibwe Menominee Nation. Shane has been walking the road of sobriety for 13.5 years and dancing has been a big part of his healing and balance. Shane dances to heal and that’s a feeling that he can't explain in all goodness. He is thankful for our way of life and likes to share his dance wherever he can. He also dances for those who can't. “I am honored and thankful that you have asked me to serve as your head dancer, miigwetch.”

• Youth Head Dancer: Marie DeCora  |  Winnebago/Oneida
  • Marie DeCora is excited to be a youth head dancer for this year's event. From Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Marie attends the 2nd grade at Indian Community School. She loves to Dance at Pow Wows and is teaching her younger twin sisters how to jingle dance! Outside of learning the Oneida language, Marie enjoys swimming, drawing, reading, and telling jokes!

• Youth Head Dancers: Mitigwakii TwoThunders  |  Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa Chippewa Indians
  • Mitigwakii “Mitig” Two Thunders is an enrolled member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians from Peshawbestown, Michigan. He also represents the Spirit Lake Santee Dakota Mniwakaƞ Oyate on his father’s side. Mitig stays active in his culture by attending Big Drum, Sun Dance Ceremonies all around the state. Singing and dancing woodland keeps him grounded in who he is as an Ojibwe/Dakota young man.

• Lead Eagle Staff & Color Guard: American Indian Center of Chicago Veterans Group

• Host Drum: Iron Bear Singers

• Invited Drum: Fire Nation Singers
  • The Fire Nation Singers are from Forest County Potawatomi Reservation in Wabeno, Wisconsin. They are always honored and proud to be asked to sing for the people. Their drum has led them to many beautiful people they now call friends and family.  They want to thank the Pow Wow committee and Northwestern University for inviting them to their 2nd Pow Wow and to the beautiful State of Illinois which is in the heart of the old Potawatomi territory. Fire Nation, which is another name for the “Potawatomi,” was a term used by many other tribes in the Great Lakes. Bama miné gewabmen 

• Invited Drum: Oka Homma Singers

• Invited Guests: Indian Community School Earth Dance Singers
  • The Indian Community School Earth Dance singers learn the basics of the original music of the Hotinoshoni, People of the Longhouse. An example of some of the topics taught are; respect for one another, creating a comfortable singing and dancing environment, gratitude for all of creation, the differences between the earth dances, basic dance steps and the art of listening. The singers practice leadership roles of dancing, singing, speaking before a crowd and the protocols of how to run a social dance.  When they come together to learn and grow, they acknowledge the importance of being good representatives of themselves, their ancestors, their school and their community.  They continually work on living lives that are good examples of the Seven Sacred Gifts; Humility, Bravery, Love, Honesty, Respect, Wisdom and Truth.  Shekóli swakéku̲!  Kalʌnaɂkehtskwas ní·yúkyats, wakeskleɂwáke niwakiɂtaló·tʌ, okháleɂ Onʌyoteɂa·ká niwakatuhutsyó·tʌ.  

• Special Performances: Northwestern Mariachi
  • Mariachi Northwestern strives to celebrate the culture and tradition of mariachi music at Northwestern University and its surrounding areas through our diverse membership and style. Mariachi Northwestern is a student group that strives to expose the surrounding communities to Mariachi music and culture! They have performed at events ranging from campus activities to hired gigs all over the Chicagoland area.

Welsh-Ryan Arena 
Address: 2705 Ashland Ave, Evanston, IL, 60208

Free Parking is available at the Welsh-Ryan Arena!

• This Pow Wow is a welcoming, inclusive, supportive and safe environment for all members of the Northwestern University community and beyond, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or gender expression/identity. 
• In light of the purpose of a pow wow and alignment of NAISA values, we prohibit harassment including anti-blackness, anti-indigeneity, sexual violence, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and all other forms; it will not be tolerated.
• We also prohibit the use of alcohol and drugs at this event.
• If you do not follow these expectations, you will be asked to leave.

We’re looking for vendors. Those interested in being a vendor at the Northwestern University Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance's 2nd Annual Spring Pow Wow should complete this interest form.

This year's Pow Wow will take place on Saturday April 22, 2022 at Welsh Ryan Arena (2705 Ashland Ave, Evanston, IL). Grand Entry will take place at noon, there will be a break from 2:30-3:30 pm, and then the pow wow will conclude at 5:00 pm.

We will let you know if you've been accepted as a vendor on a rolling basis. Booth spaces are free of cost.

Due to limited space, we may not be able to accept all vendors that apply. However, we will keep a waitlist if needed. The powwow committee will prioritize Indigenous vendors.

The deadline to submit an application is Friday, April 7th.
   

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to NAISA at northwestern.naisa@gmail.com

Vendors must comply with US Federal Public Law 101-64, known as the “Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.

APPLY HERE

Interested in supporting NAISA and the Native American and Indigenous campus community? Become a volunteer for the pow wow.

SIGN UP HERE!