BISMARCK, N.D., June 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With approximately 30,000
current Native American residents and five tribal nations,
Indigenous cultures are an essential part of North Dakota. Throughout the year and with
numerous events in the late summer and early fall, the state is
host to many opportunities to interact with and experience Native
American culture which all are welcome to explore.
A plethora of authentic Native American cultural experiences are
open to North Dakota visitors
including upcoming powwows – most are held from late June through
early September – as well as the highly-anticipated return of the
Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Tourism Indian Horse Relay; the state's
numerous Native American museums and cultural centers; and publicly
accessible tribal lands. Here are some of the most popular ways to
experience Native American culture in North Dakota:
ATTEND A POWWOW
Visitors to powwows today can experience a multi-day festival
centered around song and dance performances, traditional foods (and
some favorite "county fair" foods), as well as vendors selling arts
and crafts. Below are a few of the upcoming powwows held in
North Dakota:
- July 4-6 – Turtle
Mountain Chief Little Shell, Dunseith: Held annually since 1988, this
powwow was created to honor the last of the hereditary chiefs of
the Pembina Band of Chippewa. Share in a celebration of Native
American culture and heritage.
- July 12–14 - Arikara Celebration, White Shield: The relationship between the
Arikara and Pawnee dates back to the 15th century through an oral
history shared by the tribes. Today, that same oral history, as
told by their grandparents, celebrates this union through the
powwow.
- July 19–21 - Mandaree Celebration Powwow,
Mandaree: A celebration with
rich traditions, the Mandaree Celebration Powwow features
competitions in song and drum alongside a full slate of dance
specials. A mouthwatering variety of foods are available from
vendors as well as souvenirs, merchandise and jewelry.
- July 26–28 - Fort Totten Days Celebration,
Fort Totten: Held in the
Andrew Shaw Sr. arena, Fort Totten Days Celebration brings together
dancers of all ages to showcase the unique style of each dance.
Additional events include a 5K fun
run, moccasin games, singing contest and horseshoe doubles
competition.
- August 8 - Battle of
the Great Plains — Chicken Dance, New
Town: During the Battle of the Great Plains, the
Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Tribes
(known as the MHA Nation) highlight the chicken dance, one of the
most intricate dances full of stunningly beautiful synchronization
and artistry.
- August 9–11 - Little Shell Celebration/Antelope
Society, New Town: The
Little Shell celebration is the second-largest powwow in
North Dakota and boasts numerous
dance specials for all age groups and categories. Attendees will
find plenty of food and craft vendors and can enjoy dance finals
held under the lights in the evening.
- August 30-Sept. 1 –
Turtle Mountain Labor Day Powwow, Belcourt: This event is unique in being
both a competition and traditional powwow.
- September 6–8 - United Tribes International Powwow,
Bismarck: United Tribes
International Powwow is one of the largest and most prestigious
celebrations of Native American culture in the nation. The
three-day event brings thousands of drummers and dancers from
around the world to Bismarck each
year.
A guide to powwows in North
Dakota can be found here.
EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF AN INDIAN HORSE RELAY
Back for its third consecutive year, the electrifying Mandan
Hidatsa Arikara Tourism Indian Horse Relay returns on July 23, 2024, at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot. The relay consists of Native American
athletes vying for victory in one of the Midwest's most intense
races. Each relay team, consisting of a rider, a mugger, and two
holders across three horses, showcases incredible athleticism and
coordination. Riders begin bareback, swiftly changing horses with
each lap, culminating in a dramatic finish sure to captivate the
audience. But it doesn't stop there, during intermissions, dancers
take the main stage enriching the atmosphere with Native American
cultural heritage and traditions.
TOUR HISTORIC SITES AND MUSEUMS
Five sovereign First Nations share geography with
North Dakota and have deep
connections to the plains and numerous sites throughout the state
honor and celebrate their culture and modern life. North Dakota's first community, Pembina, was built by the Chippewa, the
descendants of Chippewa (or Cree), and French Canadians (known as
Métis), all of whom are part of the Turtle Mountain Band of
Chippewa which is centered in the town of Belcourt near the Canadian border. The
Turtle Mountain Chippewa Heritage Center preserves the
Chippewa, Cree and Métis culture of the area, and the Turtle
Mountain Scenic Byway offers a route through the scenic
landscape.
Also in the Eastern portion of the state, the Spirit Lake
Nation includes several different nations of Lakota/Dakota peoples, many of whom live on
the south shore of Devils Lake
near Fort Totten. The Fort
Totten State Historic Site offers visitors a look into the
history of the area and the tribe.
In Bismarck, the North
Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum, on the grounds of the
state capitol, offers visitors an interactive overview of Native
American history and culture. It has one of the nation's largest
collections of Plains Indian artifacts, second only to the
Smithsonian. Of particular note is the Native American Hall of
Honors, a gallery of prominent North Dakota Native Americans
and a diorama of Double Ditch Indian Village.
After taking in the State Museum exhibit, visitors can head
north of the city to see the actual remains of Double Ditch
Indian Village, as well as several other Native American
villages. Visible depressions are all that remain of the large
Mandan Indian Earth Lodge Village and interpretive signs assist
visitors in understanding the history and culture of this
village.
Additional historic Native American villages that offer an
authentic look at how Plains Indians lived include Chief
Looking's Village within Bismarck, Huff Indian Village State
Historic Site near Huff, Sitting Bull Visitor
Center, a tribute to the famous Lakota chief, on the Fort Yates campus of Sitting Bull College and Knife River Indian
Villages National Historic Site in Stanton and the home of Sakakawea before she
joined the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is located on the banks of the
Missouri River just south of Mandan, Bismarck's sister city. The park's history
goes back more than 300 years and includes On‐A‐Slant Indian
Village, which was once home to a thriving Mandan Indian
population in the mid‐1600s who lived in earthlodges along the
river. Several rebuilt lodges can be toured and offer a sense of
what everyday life was like for the Mandan people.
And for road trippers, the 350-mile Standing Rock National
Native American Scenic Byway traces the route the explorers
Lewis and Clark traveled along the Missouri River in North Dakota and offers several historically
important sites along the way.
For more about Native American experiences in North Dakota and resources to plan a legendary
trip, visit NDtourism.com.
Follow North Dakota Tourism on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/TravelND, on Instagram at
https://www.instagram.com/northdakotalegendary/ or on X at
http://x.com/NorthDakota and get tips on what to see and do all
year long.
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SOURCE North Dakota Tourism Division