George Brown College does Gathering of Nations

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Flight

My return was definitely a change of pace from my original departure. Our departing flight was grounded forty minutes due to weather in Dallas, where I was to change flights. The pilot and flight crew assured us all that because it was a delay in Dallas, no one’s connecting flights would be effected. So I sipped my complimentary Dr.Pepper and peyote stitched until the announcement came that we were descending to Dallas. Calm as a cucumber I walked off the plane and straight to the waiting American Airlines staff who told me my connecting gate and how to get there via Sky Rail. (Think clean TTC, but in the open air over the tarmac!). It was ready to leave! So I hustled myself across the airport to the waiting flight attendant who called me by name as I turned the corner towards gate 14. Creator was looking out for me and ensured I made the connection, in more ways than one. This trip taught me so much about my community and myself. On the flight home to Toronto I spotted an enormous rainbow vertically crossing the entire sky. What an incredible way to end such a powerful journey safely at home. Gathering of Nations is something that every community member should have the opportunity to attend. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before in my life.

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Preserving Tradition and Miss Indian World

If I’m being honest, I had my reservations about attending any part of the Miss Indian World competition. It’s something I admittedly knew very little about and my limited exposure to what I thought were pageants of this nature in western dominant culture I had found to be exploitive and fairly pointless wastes of time and money. So I was hesitant as I found a solo seat in the 5th row a few minutes before (the soon to be former) Miss Indian World, Taylor Thomas, was scheduled to speak. But I’m very glad I went, and so grateful for what I saw. Her entire family was involved, which of course included extended clan and tribal community members. They shared gifts with the entire audience as a show of gratitude for the year of support. They talked about Taylor’s accomplishments as Miss Indian World which included a laundry list of work both at home and abroad to improve conditions for Indigenous communities. It was truly inspiring what she has been able to accomplish. Then the men of her nation bestowed their highest honour on her and the women of their tribe in ‘airing out the feathers’, a song and dance performed wearing headdresses in which the men dance first, then each transfer their headdress to a woman. This is the only time women ever wear a headdress in this nation. They then dance as well before concluding with an honour song for Taylor. It was incredibly powerful to witness. Taylor thanked her mother and spoke to the power of women and youth. There were tears of joy and cries of celebration. Then when the crown was passed to the new Miss Indian World, Cheyenne Brady, everyone danced and songs played for her. Medicines were even used to smudge. It was an unexpected delight to be able to take part in such a moment.

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Dancers

The dancing is and has always been one of the biggest draws at Gathering of Nations. Whether to watch the numerous styles from across the land or to compete yourself, everyone gets involved in one way or another. And to be honest, the reputation did not even compare to the experience of actually being there. All day long there was dancing, drumming and singing happening in ‘The Pit’. Outside in ‘Pow Wow Alley’ dancers performed tribal specials from various guest nations not traditionally from Turtle Island. Perhaps most surprising to some, but maybe even most powerful for me, were the dancers that were fully incorporated as integral parts of the shows on ‘Stage 49’ as these tended to be 6th and 7th generation performers incorporating turn tables and electric guitars. It was beautiful to see time honoured traditions and new ideas flowing together so seamlessly.  As I’ve described before, the dancing was a very emotional experience. And not just for me, but a number of students directly expressed feeling very overwhelmed with emotions as well. Never before have I witnessed so many different styles of dance and dress representing so many vast and beautiful nations in one space. The grand entries and the sibling special were both phenomenal examples of this. To the same song played on the same drum dancers crossed the floor with varied speeds and techniques like one harmonious flock. It was truly an honour to witness so many talented performers share their tribal traditions.

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Vendors

This was certainly a highlight of the trip for me, and something I’d been long looking forward to! As a beadwork artist myself I could barely keep contained my excitement at seeing what other artists were working on. Of course majority of the items I purchased were beadwork! There were numerous beaded keychain items that were very impressive. I’ve included a few particularly intricate items. My hope is to continue learning my craft to one day be able to create such incredible pieces myself! I was also able to purchase my first piece of authentic turquoise jewelry from a local jewelry maker. I fell in love with the way the ring formed around the natural stone, unaltered. The natural look and feel made the connection instantaneous for me! Another student bought these lovely handmade Navajo dolls for her daughter.   There was every item imaginable in the many isles of that tent. I spent hours scouring the tiny cubicles for both found and lovingly crafted gems. I could have spent a (not so) small fortune on all the things I admired! There was really something for everyone.  

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People

What would a journey like this be without some great company to share it with? We may have travelled separately but we came together at the Crowne Plaza and had a great time. The rain couldn’t keep us from the Pow Wow for the first grand entry on Friday morning so we lined up in our ponchos and made it happen. We each had ample opportunity to explore in whatever ways felt best to us, and also to come together to share our experiences and insights. I’m grateful for the late night talks and support I was able to feel being in such a place with fellow students. And the people we met there will never be forgotten. Attending the gathering has been a lifelong dream for many of us, so our eyes and ears were wide open all week to absorb and retain as much as we could. I am especially grateful for my surprise companion Betty, the baddest eighty one year old auntie you’ll ever meet. She shared such incredible stories of power and resilience from her own life and travels, she definitely has inspired me to always be open to experiences and trust where creator is directing my path. She’s also got a sweet tooth, which meant splitting some sweet treats, to which I gave absolutely no argument!

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Food

As I mentioned previously, the road trip to New Mexico had its share of hurdles to overcome when it came to food. So arriving in Albuquerque I couldn’t help but dive head first into trying everything I could! As someone who doesn’t eat meat, I found that I didn’t have to compromise my beliefs to enjoy delicious and traditional foods everywhere we went. Again, on the recommendation of as many locals as we could, we tried everything! Cheese and red chili enchilada at one of the filming locations from AMC’s ‘Breaking Bad’ was one of our first stops. Incredible! Another favorite was the ‘Church Street Cafe’ in Old Town. Legend has it that the joint is haunted, which was reason enough for me to check it out, but the food did not disappoint either! Inside were the most intricate and colourful mosaics I’ve seen in recent memory. Odes to festivals past, and stories told through art adorned our tables and walls while the sun filtered in through floor to ceiling windows. And I discovered my first Navajo taco at the Pow Wow. The Indian Tacos that I’m used to have a meat chili mixture as well as lettuce, onions, tomato and cheese on a big piece of frybread, but the Navajo had a generous helping of pinto beans in lieu of the meat chili, so again, my veggie heart was all a flutter! My cravings for all my favorites were well satisfied in Albuquerque.

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Pow Wow

The reason for the trip in the first place. The 32nd annual Gathering of Nations, hosted by the University of New Mexico in their arena called ‘The Pit’. Over 80,000 participants travel from all across Turtle Island (or ‘Indian Country’ as it’s lovingly called). It was absolutely one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. It’s very difficult to describe the way it felt to be surrounded by so many strange yet familiar faces. The energy was palpable and there was too much for one person to view all of in one trip. While dance competitions went on inside ‘the pit’ there were other performers from around the globe performing their traditional dances in ‘pow wow alley’. Here there was a vendor’s tent that seemed to stretch into the horizon and too many food stands to count! There was also ‘Stage 49’ which housed a variety of performances and events the entire time that the Pow Wow ran. Our two day all access wrist bands allowed us to enter and re-enter the arena as often as we’d like which made for two long exciting days at the Pow Wow. It’s hard to describe how impressive the talent in our communities is. The regalia alone of the thousands of dancers would have taken weeks to admire individually. Each dancer’s regalia was clearly constructed with care and incredible skill. It was unbelievable to see so many beautiful nations represented in such various ways. The grand entries were quite something to behold. No video or picture can do justice to the feelings that flowed through me during this time. The pit expanded and contracted as dancer after dancer joined the massive crowd. It reminded me of a pulsing heart, all our nations dancing as one. Beautiful, unique dancers streamed in from all directions like veins pumping life blood into our heart, recharging us, filling us with renewed energy. On day two President Obama made an announcement directly to the gathering. He congratulated us on such a success, and provide4d more information about Generation Indigenous, a program started by the white house this year to focus on the needs and struggles of Native communities. Families worked tirelessly to attend the pow wow but also to put on the pow wow every year. That was perhaps what makes this gathering so incredibly powerful – community organized and run, it is truly a labour of love.

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Old Town Albuquerque

In our attempts to experience New Mexico in the most authentic way possible, we made sure that we visited old town in downtown Albuquerque. Originally constructed in the 1700’s, walking through old town was like walking through time. The buildings were all made of smooth terracotta stone. Seats were carved directly into them, making the entire area more accessible for walking on hot, sunny days. There were many shops carrying locally made items, but we saw a lot of merchandise repetition. Fortunately for us we arrived on the perfect day because there happened to be Navajo code talkers from different wars across Turtle Island fundraising in the square. We were able to talk with them and hear stories of their incredible lives. I am so grateful for the lessons they imparted on me and the impression they left on my spirit is as strong today as ever. I was happy to notice all the similarities between the traditions of my nation and those of the nations we encountered. And the art work displayed really encouraged me as an artist myself to keep pushing my art, there is so much that can be accomplished! It was quite an inspiration.

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Mother Earth

One of the best parts of this entire experience for me was witnessing the beauty that is our mother the earth. New Mexico had so much to share with us and I tried my best to soak it all in. Some variations of plants that I’m used to seeing at home in Ontario, such as this flowering cedar bush, were phenomenal to see. And then there was the plant life that was totally new to experience, such as the different trees and all the incredible cacti! It’s easy to see where all inspiration comes from for the beautiful colours of regalia we adorn when we dance.

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Greyhound

By order of appearance we stopped in London and Windsor Ontario, before crossing the border into Detroit MI and then on to Ann Arbor MI, Kalamazoo MI, Benton Harbor MI, Chicago IL, Champaign IL, St Louis MO, Fort Leonard Wood MO, Springfield MO, Joplin MO, Tulsa OK, Oklahoma City OK, El Reno OK, Elk City OK, Amarillo TX, Tucumcari NM and then finally arriving at our destination in Albuquerque NM. For the second half of the trip we managed to secure the lone three seater in the rear of the bus and it made a huge difference in the quality of my experience. Thanks to this seat I was at least able to catch a couple hours of shut eye here and there to carry me through to Albuquerque. The Wi-Fi that was advertised on every bus and everywhere in every terminal was not available for even a moment during the entire trip. While the experience was a memorable one, I think the time saved by flying is well worth the increase in cost.

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Pit Stops

The journey to Albuquerque by bus took a little over two days to complete, so we experienced our share of pit stops along the way. For future travellers I would strongly recommend packing snack ahead of time if you are able. The craisins in my purse carried me through a number of stops. Eating on the road proved to be a bit of a challenge, especially for a vegetarian like myself. There were a lot of prepackaged options but not so many fresh. I was ever grateful to pick up a banana for $1.88 in a gas station on day 2. The saving graces of the ride were the longer stops, such as the five hour stop in Chicago. We took the recommendation of locals and treated ourselves to a lengthy lunch at Lou Mitchell’s diner. Open since the 1930’s, Lou Mitchell’s is a Chicago institution. We had hot, hearty soups and sandwiches there that carried us through the rest of the bus ride. We saw many things along the way from landmarks to wildlife. There were multiple instances where we spotted hawks surveying vast open plains, each time my heart swelled with anticipation. We moved closer and closer, mile by mile, watching the scenery change was definitely a perk of not being able to sleep. This is the college road trip you tell generations about.

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Preparing for the Journey

It wasn’t as simple as just picking up to go. There was an enormous amount of planning and organizing that happened before April 21st when I boarded that Greyhound to travel across Turtle Island. From scheduling, to fundraising, to ensuring all tickets and accommodations were arranged far in advance; most preparation happened months ahead of time. But there were a few last minute things that needed to happen to prepare me for this long journey. I deliberately prepared my medicine pouch with care. A friend had gifted me some ground pine to sprinkle in my shoes for safe travels. And of course I had to Nish up my belongings a bit so I beaded a small monarch butterfly to adorn my travel bag. Seven months of planning and I was ready to go!