On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Grand Valley State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) hosted Indigi-Fest, an event that celebrated Native American Heritage Month, and recognized the sovereignty of tribal nations. The celebration welcomed the participation of GVSU’s Native American Student Association (NASA) and the University’s Anishinaabe alumni. The event’s programming created a learning space for attendees to reflect on the concept of sovereignty and its importance to Indigenous peoples.
This was the second year GV hosted the Indigi-Fest. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University’s annual powwow was canceled for several years. In 2023, Indigenous students part of the University’s student success program Mno’Chigewin created Indigi-Fest as a way to re-start the event. Mno’Chigewin was designed to enhance the University experience for students who identify as Native American by offering culture-based programming and support. Now carried on by the OMA, Indigi-Fest continues to serve as a vibrant celebration and recognition of Indigenous culture.
The event began with an opening ceremony led by a representative of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Gun Lake Tribal Council. Located south of Grand Rapids, the Gun Lake Tribe is part of the historic Three Fires Confederacy—an alliance between the Pottawatomi (Bodewadmi), Ottawa (Odawa) and Chippewa (Ojibwe).
Following the ceremony, a variety of workshops took place, which focused on topics such as food sovereignty, decolonizing social work and education, the Anishinaabemowin language and an introduction to powwow traditions. Each workshop delved into different aspects of sovereignty, emphasizing impacts on various areas of life. Indigi-Fest concluded with a screening and panel discussion of the movie “Two-Spirit PowWow,” which explored how traditional powwow protocols have been adapted to celebrate queer and gender-expansive identities.
The event also highlighted the historical and ongoing erasure of Indigenous tribes in the United States, as well as the importance of amplifying Native American voices in the community. Belinda Bardwell, assistant director of OMA and senior advisor of Native American affairs at GVSU, described Indigi-Fest as a “stellar” way to engage the campus community, educate others about Indigenous traditions and showcase cultural practices.
“It is a time to celebrate making it to another growing season,” Bardwell said. “They (events such as these) are our family reunions after the long nap our Mother Earth takes. (These events are) a time to share, laugh, learn and reconnect to our ways, our culture and each other.”
Tibieicio Lince, OMA’s director, noted that Indigi-Fest allowed participants to reflect on the continuing impacts of colonization on Native and Indigenous communities.
“This time allowed for education, expression of joy, resilience, hope and opportunities for allyship,” said Lince. “For me, as a non-Native individual, I found a lot of helpful and contextualized information that I had never encountered before, and I am so grateful I attended.”
Native American Heritage Month provides a time for reflection, education and celebration, and events like Indigi-Fest serve as a reminder of the resilience and contributions of Indigenous peoples. Indigi-Fest was also an opportunity for non-Native individuals to listen, learn and become allies in supporting Indigenous sovereignty and justice. Through workshops, ceremonies and advocacy efforts, the event encouraged a collective commitment to preserving traditions and building a more inclusive future for all.
