As the powwow season came to an end, the Anishinaabe Friendship Center (AFC) presented the second Annual Dance by the River Pow Wow September 27–28 to honor the cultural significance of the ancestral powwow grounds of the Anishinaabe people at the Adado Riverfront Park in Lansing, Michigan.

“The Native American Institute is a proud sponsor of the Dance by the River Pow Wow and we deeply appreciate the work Aja Washington, director of the Anishinaabe Friendship Center, her team, and other community members have done to revitalize a  long-standing tradition of hosting a powwow in the capital city of Michigan," said Dr. Kevin Leonard, director of the NAI.

Other sponsors included the City of Lansing, Clark Construction Company, the Nokomis Center, Greater Lansing Arts Council, and Lansing Community College.  Historically, the Lansing Indigenous name is Nkwejong, which means “where the rivers meet.” Traditionally, Indigenous people traveled on the river and, according to elders, the Lansing area has always been a gathering place.

“Bringing the Dance by the River Pow Wow back to Lansing is important because it reconnects our Native community to the land, the water, and each other. The Grand River has always been a gathering place for our ancestors, and holding ceremonies and celebrations there helps us honor that connection,” said Aja Washington, chair, Anishinaabe Friendship Center. “It gives our youth a chance to experience culture, language, and pride in who they are, while bringing healing and understanding to the broader community. Reviving this pow wow strengthens our spirits, our identity, and our relationship with the land that has always carried our stories.”