Ahead of Native American Heritage Month in November, The Native American Student Association and Native American Caucus at UNC Charlotte hosted its second Annual Intertribal Powwow over the weekend to unite and celebrate Indigenous cultures.
People gathered on a soccer field and formed a circle around the children and adults from different tribes as they danced to chants accompanied by the beat of a drum. Michelle Stanley, one of the organizers behind the event, says the powwow provides an opportunity for Native Americans to showcase their tradition and presence.
“A lot of people think that natives don't exist anymore; we're written out of history; we're positioned into the past,” Stanley said. “So, this is kind of our moment of saying, ‘Look, we are here, we are still here, and we have these vibrant cultures, and we're here to share them.’”
Page Freeman, a graduate of UNC Charlotte and past president of the Native American Student Association, says she felt isolated during her freshman year. But once the Native American Student Association was up and running, it enabled her to connect with other people with similar backgrounds.
“By restarting the Native American Student Association, I was able to find that community and connect us together,” Freeman said. “And it just showed me how important it is to have people who look and sound like me around me, because it not only boosts my self-esteem and how I feel as an Indigenous person, but it also allows me to better help my fellow students and my fellow natives.”
Freeman says the association will continue to work to highlight the culture and history of Native Americans next month and beyond.
