fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 

HOPKINS, Mich. — Powwow dancers from Potawatomi (Bodéwadmi) nations in the United States and Canada entered the dance arena for Friday night’s Grand Entry of the 2025 Pottawatomi Gathering’s powwow at Jijak Camp, owned by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi, commonly known as the Gun Lake Tribe.

On Monday, July 28, the Gun Lake Tribe kicked off its week‑long 2025 Pottawatomi Gathering with a two‑day language conference held Monday and Tuesday, July 28–29, at Hopkins Middle School and Jijak Camp in Michigan.

Never miss Indian Country’s biggest stories and breaking news. Sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. 

On Friday evening, August 1, the powwow’s Grand Entry at Camp Jijak unfolded. Hundreds of dancers—gleaming regalia filling the arena—entered during a procession that lasted approximately 45 minutes. Military veterans from multiple conflicts carried eagle staffs and tribal flags, representing Potawatomi nations across the U.S. and Canada. Among them was a veteran who identified himself as a survivor of the 1973 Wounded Knee occupation on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation.

Earlier on Friday, various Potawatomi tribes showcased their tribal business enterprises and held a econmic summit at the Gun Lake Casino Resort.

Editor's Note: All photos by Levi Rickert.

More Stories Like This

Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. Briefs
US Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Sen. Murkowski Introduces Legislation to Support Native Children & Families

Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions

At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.

The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.

Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.

This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.

We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.

Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.

Levi headshotThe stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.

Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.

Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher

 
 
About The Author
Levi Rickert
Author: Levi RickertEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].