The calling and drumbeats came first — steady, powerful, and impossible to ignore. Then came the dancers — bright ribbons, soft moccasins, and the heartbeat of a people echoing through Lansing’s Adado Riverfront Park.
Last month, the Anishinaabe Friendship Center hosted its second annual Pow Wow which is a celebration of culture, connection, and the enduring spirit of a community that continues to dance with pride.
“It’s a gathering of our community," says Travis Schuyler. "It's a time to come together, rekindle friendships, build new ones too. For the younger folks, to make them chuckle a little bit, I say it’s kind of like a party. There is music, there’s dancing and there are all those kinds of things."
Each dance, each drumbeat, and each handmade bead tells a story. It's a story of resilience, connection, and pride. Together, they weave a living tapestry of culture and belonging that continues to grow with every generation.
“You know, when you come here, it’s about being together, it’s about welcoming everyone, it’s about sharing what you have," says Samantha Vaiv. "And so much today is about dividing, and telling people they are wrong. It's judging because you don't know something. We are not about that. If you want to learn, if you have good intentions in your heart, then come on, this is for you."
It’s that connection — past to present, self to community — that keeps the spirit alive. And even for those who don’t dance, the music moves something within.
In a world that can feel divided, here under the open Michigan sky, you find a different rhythm. One that beats not just in drums, but in hearts.
At Adado Riverfront Park, this wasn’t just a Pow Wow. It was a celebration of strength, of story, and of the good that happens when community comes together. It was a celebration of Good Neighbors.
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