Overview

• Hundreds gathered at Hart Plaza for the first Detroit powwow downtown in about three decades, marking Indigenous Peoples' Day.
• Councilwoman Gabriella Santiago-Romero coordinated permits, fire safety and logistics in partnership with the North American Indian Association of Detroit, the Detroit Indigenous Peoples Alliance, American Indian Health and Family Services and South Eastern Michigan Indians.
• The celebration featured drum groups, dancers, food and craft vendors, along with education booths focused on Anishinaabe history and culture.
• Attendees and elders from tribes across the Midwest characterized the return to Hart Plaza as a cultural homecoming and a chance for intergenerational teaching.
• Organizers said they intend to sustain and expand the powwow in future years, citing strong turnout and broad community support.