Held at Former Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School Site

Written by Katie Halloran

Helping Zhaaswshkobne Wemigwans, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe (SCIT), age 6, realize his dream of hosting a youth-led Pow Wow on Michigan Indian Day, all within a few months’ time, was the work of many generous hands, open hearts and thoughtful minds. 

Organizing an entire Pow Wow was no small feat for Wemigwans and his family, but this goal loomed large in both his mind and his heart after attending the Day of Honoring, Healing and Remembrance.

Held at the former site of the Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School (MIIBS) on June 6, Wemigwans attended this day as a student of the Saginaw Chippewa Academy, where he was greatly impacted by the event. He took home a key conclusion:  

“Mom, we should have a Pow Wow for the kids at that school who didn’t get to Dance,” Wemigwans told his mother, Courtney Kahgegab, SCIT.

Wanting to “cultivate his little Indigenous mind,” Kahgegab began to devise a plan the “more and more he talked about having a Pow Wow.”

Initially, the family planned for a small Pow Wow in their front yard over the summertime, ending with a Feast, all to honor the children who attended the Boarding School. As Kahgegab began seeking assistance and asking questions of her community and connections, the bigger the event — and Wemigwans’ dream — became.

“I asked Melissa and Nathan Isaac if they could help, as they have a lot of experience with Pow Wows and Round Dances,” said Kahgegab. “They started offering all sorts of help, as did other people, and before I knew it, I was talking with SCIT Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Marcella Hadden and asking the MIIBS Committee if we could use the site of the former boarding school as the Pow Wow grounds, to which they agreed to.”

As the summer quickly slipped away, they instead decided to host it on Michigan Indian Day, Sept. 22, held annually on the fourth Friday of September.

“My son’s school is closed for this holiday, but there isn’t anything for our kids to do to honor this day,” said Kahgegab. “A youth-led Pow Wow is a good reason to excuse kids from school, to focus on them, and get them Dancing and having a good time.”

Beginning at 1 p.m. with a Youth Grand Entry, the Pow Wow is inter-tribal and open to all Native children. In true keeping with the youth-led experience, a Sacred Fire will be burning, maintained by a 15-year-old Fire Keeper. Grass Dancing, Boys’ and Girls’ Traditional, Boys’ and Girls’ Fancy, and Jingle Dress Dancing will all be included at the Pow Wow. Regalia is not required for Dancing.

“We wanted to reduce any barriers and make sure that kids could Dance, with or without Regalia,” said Kahgegab. “We started collecting gently used Regalia for a ‘loan table,’ so kids can come borrow a Ribbon Skirt or Shawl if they would like to Dance.”

Kahgegab, NHBP Tribal Member Cicilee Chivis and others have been accepting donations of Regalia to be loaned out during the Pow Wow.

Expecting 100 to 130 people in attendance, Kahgegab acknowledges the work of the many who helped make this happen: “You can’t put a Pow Wow together without some support.”

The event will close with a Feast at 3:30 p.m., provided by Tina’s Frybread.

Wemigwans’ dream will be realized in a beautiful way.  

“We’re hoping this Pow Wow is a way forward, as a way to pick up the pieces from all the trauma brought on by Boarding Schools, and that kids’ laughter can help bring that healing in,” said Kahgegab. 

NHBP Tribal Members are excited for the event, with more than 20 Tribal youth registered to attend in honor of not only Michigan Indian Day, but also in honor of those who attended the Boarding Schools.

With the MIIBS site now being held in partnership with the city of Mount Pleasant and the SCIT, its future rests in the hands of a committee that desires to see the history maintained, not erased. The vision of the MIIBS committee is to restore the site to become a museum and memorial as a teachable tribute to the atrocities that happened against Native American children for decades. 

The MIIBS committee welcomes any Tribal Member or community member’s input on the future of the site. For more information on how you can get involved, please visit www.sagchip.org/miibs.