A lively festival held annually on campus, the Powwow of Love is a testament to the diversity of the North American Indigenous community. It welcomes members from various Tribes, including those from MSU, East Lansing and the Lansing area. The celebration plays a significant role in the North American Indigenous community on and off campus and provides an avenue to showcase culture and honored traditions.
The 38th annual powwow was an opportunity for different Tribes and attendees to dance, sing and celebrate their Indigenous culture. It also provided a platform to connect with the rich traditions and stories within the Native American Indigenous Student Organization community at MSU. The 2024 event attracted more than 200 attendees and hosted several vendors selling a variety of cultural items, crafts, jewelry and clothing, which added to the vibrancy of the powwow.
“Despite Michigan being home to 12 federally recognized Tribes, North American Indigenous people make up the smallest minority on campus and, with all these efforts toward erasing our culture, powwows are an integral part of celebrating indigenous identity. This is why everyone looks forward to attending powwows, for a chance to reconnect, be with the community and celebrate Indigeneity.”
— Ada Varga, third-year student studying environmental and plant biology who served on the MSU powwow planning committee as co-chair and is a proud citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi.
