August 06, 2013 –
MAYETTA: A bus load of elders left last Sunday for the Potawatomi Gathering being held this year near Dowagiac, Michigan and hosted by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. The elder bus will make two overnight stops each on their round trip tour that will end on Aug. 12.
The bus left Sunday so that people can attend the Language Conference that precedes the Gathering set for opening Aug. 8. Other PBPN members are planning to travel to the Gathering on their own and some will camp at Rodgers Lake property, in the heart of ancestral Potawatomi homelands, where the Gathering will be held.
According to the website www.potawatominations.com , over 1,000 Potawatomi had already registered for the Gathering that provides the opportunity for Bodewadmi people from across North America to come together for language and cultural demonstrations, recreational activities, meals, socializing and a pow-wow. Tribal Councils and service programs from the various bands also come together in sessions to discuss programs and issues.
The idea for the Gathering began twenty years ago and has grown into a multi-day event. Tribal bands alternate in hosting the Gatherings and the Prairie Band were the host tribe in 2002 and 2009.