The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) held its annual Kchi Wiikwedong Anishinaabek Maawnjidowin Contest Powwow this weekend in Peshawbestown. With over $36,000 in dance contest prize money, attendees had the opportunity to watch dancers in various age groups compete in categories like men’s and women’s fancy, woodland, sidestep, and more. In addition to the dance competition, there was also a singing contest that drum groups were able to participate in. The host drum this year was “The Boyz,” who hailed from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Aaron Chivis, GTB cultural department manager, said the event showcased to the community and visitors a preview of future powwow grounds facilities that will be in place come next year. The emcees, Jackson Tahuka and Sandon Jacobs, were positioned atop a temporary platform that will have an emcee stand built into it situated around the powwow grounds, with canopies and tents in the place of where new hilltop, covered seating will be available next season.
“We’ve been working hard on updating our powwow facilities at the powwow grounds,” Chivis said. “We’re in phase one (of building), so these facilities are temporary for the powwow this year. Next there will be concrete… Phase two will have actual covered seating on the south side, and all these canopies will not be here next year… so that’s the plan.”
The GTB powwow committee, made up of five staff members from the cultural department, worked hard months in advance to set up and organize the county- wide beloved celebration while also preparing for powwow facility updates. This year, they had more drums participating in the powwow, some from Michigan and a couple from out of state.
“We’re trying to get good feelings and good emotions here, like I said, we put a lot of ourselves into this… So we’re appreciative of everyone that’s come out today and joined us,” he said. “We do have more drums this year than we did in previous years. This year, we have a couple (drums) coming from out of state. We have some coming from Iowa, some from North Carolina. They’re traveling from a lot farther to be with us this summer, so I think people out in the community are hearing about our powwows and the good stuff that we’re doing.”
Not only is the powwow a time for visitors to immerse themselves in the traditions of the Anishinaabek people, but it’s also a time for local tribal and community members to experience and enjoy cultural activities, foods, crafts, and entertainment together.
“It’s a good thing for us to get together and socialize and show people our area, this is our homelands, we invite people in,” he said. “We do our best to make sure that everything that we can plan for is planned for so that way people can have a nice enjoyable weekend…”
