(MUSCOGEE RESERVATION) The hum of sewing machines and the rhythm of laughter fill the room as 12- to 18-year-olds gathered to learn a skill rooted in culture, creativity, and community.  Launched in 2014, the Mvskoke Nation Youth Services Project (MNYS) is the driving force behind “Connect the Disconnect”, a program that connects Native youth with hands-on cultural activities.  MNYS Director James Bender encourages youth to reconnect with their culture all year round. Connect the Disconnect is open to all tribal communities that would like their youth to take part in these workshops. “We’re giving the youth the opportunity to reconnect and ask questions about their culture, to participate in the traditional activities,” Bender said.  “Even if they would like to make changes in their community, we can guide them towards the youth council,” he continued.  Workshops include ribbon making, can making, pony bracelet beading, moccasin making, and bead work. Tribal communities that want to get involved and have the workshops held in their area should contact the Mvskoke Nation Youth Services. All contact information is on their website <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mvskokeyouth.com">www.mvskokeyouth.com</a> Leading August workshops was 22-year-old Louisa Harjo, founder of LOUnique, a Native-owned small business that has grown into a vibrant expression of Indigenous fashion. For Harjo, this workshop marked a return to teaching after a two-year hiatus, and it brought her back to where it all began. “I’m really grateful to be back,” Harjo said. “It's been a while, but I’m always open to teaching youth and elders who want to learn. Today, we worked on modern-day ribbon pants. They're fashionable, but still hold that cultural connection.” Harjo’s journey began when she was just 7 seven years old and learned to hand-stitch fabric beside her grandmothers. By 11, she had her own machine and could make everything from pillows to skirts.  Her passion quickly turned into a calling. At just 15, Harjo participated in her first fashion show, standing shoulder to shoulder with Native fashion leaders like OXDX and Red Berry Woman. That experience, she said, changed everything. “I brought what I learned back home,” she said. “It made me so happy to see youth light up with new possibilities, knowing they could do this too.” Since then, Harjo has taught sewing workshops across Oklahoma, working with youth of all ages and abilities. Her workshops are more than technical lessons; they are spaces for emotional expression, personal growth, and cultural reconnection. “Some of the kids told me their families never thought they could do this,” Harjo said. “That means everything to me. I’ve seen boys learn to sew vests and girls design their own outfits. They’re expressing who they are, and that’s powerful.” The ribbon pants workshop emphasized both style and comfort, encouraging youth to bring their own ideas to life. Harjo said her approach reflects how Indigenous fashion continues to evolve while honoring its roots. “Why not make it comfortable, something you can wear every day?” Harjo said.  Now a new mother, Harjo finds inspiration in her son, who already watches her sew with curiosity and focus.  “It gives me hope for the next generation,” she said. “These skills are being passed on, even before they can walk.” When asked what keeps her motivated, Harjo pointed to her connection with Native elders and her practices of journaling her ideas and spending time in nature.  “Our people have always created together in groups, as a community,” Harjo said. “And that’s exactly what these workshops feel like.” As she continues to expand her designs and teachings, Harjo’s message for Native youth remains simple but powerful: “You can do this. Your ideas matter. And you carry our culture forward, one stitch at a time.”

United States of America

Oklahoma

Keeping traditions alive, one stitch at a time

Russell  Sun Eagle

(MUSCOGEE RESERVATION) The 73rd Annual Tulsa Powwow returned August 16 and 17, 2025, taking place at the Arvest Convention Center at 100 Civic Center. Hosted by the Tulsa Indian Club, the Tulsa Powwow welcomed dancers and visitors from across Oklahoma and beyond. Tulsa Indian Club chairman David Bible says organizing the powwow is about far more than logistics. “It’s carrying on a legacy. I’ve heard stories from families who’ve attended for generations. It’s an honor for me to help continue something that’s been such a big part of our community for 73 years.” Club treasurer Robert Anquoe, who grew up attending the powwow, sees it as a key piece of Tulsa’s identity. “The Tulsa Powwow’s history is part of Tulsa’s history. It’s about preserving our traditions, our customs, and making sure the next generation knows who we are as Native people,” Anquoe said.  The event began in 1952 and originally spanned four days at Mohawk Park, complete with camping. Today, the powwow thrives in an indoor setting, offering visitors a comfortable space to experience vibrant dancing, drumming and intertribal fellowship. Around 60% of attendees are first-timers, according to the Bible. The mix of old friends and new faces makes for a special kind of energy. “It’s a gathering, a celebration,” Bible said. “You see the smiles, the laughter — that’s what makes all the hard work worth it.” Anquoe adds that the powwow is also a bridge between generations.  “I love seeing the children and grandchildren of those who came before, now taking part as dancers, singers and organizers. It’s about passing on those memories and creating new ones,” Anquoe said. One of the most anticipated moments was the crowning of the 2025–2026 Tulsa Powwow Princess, an honor that celebrates Native women’s leadership, cultural pride and service. This year, the crowning was bestowed by Winnie Guess Perdue, a highly respected community elder whose life’s work and achievements have made her a living example of excellence. Perdue’s journey in powwow culture started very early. She began fancy dancing at the age of 12. As a Cherokee woman, she helped to expand women’s cultural participation in dances traditionally reserved for men. “I had the opportunity to hoop and eagle dance when no one else was, and I had the opportunity to make so many friends,” Perdue said. “It is such an overwhelming experience of gratitude that I could be a part of celebrating our Native culture,” she continued. For Perdue, powwows are an opportunity for tribal solidarity. “I have always believed and always will believe we are one tribe.” Perdue’s accomplishments extend far beyond the arena. She appeared in Martin Scorsese’s 2023 film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” performed in the musical “Nanyehi: The Story of Nancy Ward” at the Hard Rock Casino in Tulsa, and will serve as Grand Marshal for Tulsa’s Native American Day on Oct. 13, 2025.  Reflecting on her decades in the circle, Perdue says her goal is to uplift and encourage the next generation of Native women. “I just want to uphold all of those values that we ask these young women to uphold,” she said. “If we don’t tell our own story, someone else will tell it for us.”  “Crowning the new princess will be “an extreme honor,” Perdue said.  “Each princess brings so much to our culture and traditions. We expect them to uphold those values, and we hope to honor them and help them on their journey.”  The newly selected Tulsa Powwow Princess, Madison Bighorse, was officially crowned before grand entry at 4:30 p.m. on August 16th, 2025. Bighorse, an incoming senior at Pawhuska High School, said she decided to run for the title to represent her city, family, and culture and was particularly inspired by her aunt Angela and sister Dora. “It’s a really big deal,” Bighorse said. “You’re not only representing yourself; you’re representing the city of Tulsa, your family and your people. I’m excited to meet people from all over Indian Country and share who I am.” Bighorse hopes to serve as a role model for Native youth, especially young girls.  “I want little girls to know they can do it,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, if you put your mind to it, you can.” The Tulsa Powwow featured gourd dancing, grand entries, competitive dancing, drum groups, vendors and a gathering of cultures and friendships that have spanned decades. “It’s not just an event; it's a circle. One that connects us to the past, carries us through the present and leads us to the future,” Perdue said. Whether you’re a longtime participant or a first-time attendee, the Tulsa Powwow offers an opportunity to experience the beauty, strength and unity of Native culture.   For more information, visit the <a target="_blank" href="https://tulsaindianclub.org/tulsa-powwow">Tulsa Indian Club website</a>.This article has been updated to reflect past-tense phrasing.

More than a gathering: 73rd Annual Tulsa Powwow to celebrate tradition, community and generations 

(MUSCOGEE RESERVATION) In a society where Native American culture is often overlooked, one group is taking an innovative approach to connect with Native Americans and share Native culture.On June 23-25, Michelle Reed (Ojibwe) of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/N8Vdancefitness/">N8V Dance Fitness</a> traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to offer free community fitness and cultural maker classes, promoting healing and empowerment to the Native American community.N8V Dance Fitness is a Michigan-based dance studio that offers dance fitness inspired by powwow dance, as well as cultural maker classes. Reed founded N8V Dance Fitness eight years ago. The cultural maker classes, such as pouch sewing and replica tooth necklace crafting, are built into the program to build community and empower participants to connect with Native culture and arts.“The idea for these maker classes is to build confidence and go even bigger on the next project,” Reed said.VNN sponsored N8V Dance’s recent trip to Tulsa, where Reed was joined by Simon Washee (Cheyenne and Arapaho), a local powwow dancer who uses his skills to engage Native youth in schools, teaching them about Native American history, culture and the significance of powwow.Washee said he measures the impact of his classes by how receptive and interactive the participants are. He looks for genuine interest in the knowledge and stories he shares. Although audiences are often receptive and engaged, cultural groups such as theirs often face challenges. Washee noted that many schools are resistant to incorporating Native American classes, programs and teachers. “Just to get into the door with them is a lot of work,” Washee explained. “To be able to even have a class is a lot of work.” He attributes this resistance to a lack of understanding and awareness among non-Native people in schools and communities.Washee emphasized the importance of external support, urging individuals and organizations to become more knowledgeable about Native American issues. He said his own family history contributes to his desire to educate others about Native culture. As a fourth-generation fancy dancer, Washee’s upbringing was steeped in tradition. His family actively participated in traditional societies, ceremonies and Native American church, ensuring their culture was passed down through generations. Washee’s family history also includes trauma due to systematic U.S. government efforts to annihilate Native people. Washee recounted his family’s survival of the 1864 Sand Creek massacre, the deadliest day in Colorado’s history. The U.S. Army, under the guise of protection, had relocated hundreds of Cheyenne and Arapaho people to an encampment near Fort Lyon in the former Colorado Territories. U.S. troops then surrounded and attacked them in the night, killing around 230 people.Washee added that later, his grandfather was forced to attend a Native American boarding school, where he was stripped of his language and culture.  “Knowing where my family came from, and the struggle to even be Native American in that day’s culture and even today’s culture — that is the reason why I do the things I do today,” Washee said.Washee believes history continues to impact society, not only culturally but systematically, such as in outdated laws and historical inaccuracies perpetuated through education.  Inaccurate historical representation and limited curricula often do not address the needs of Native American students, he said, leading to disengagement and lower academic achievement.  “When our history and our history books have excluded some of that information, the general public’s not going to know what we’ve gone through and what we still go through today,” Washee said. VNN Oklahoma’s N8V Dance Fitness and Maker Classes were made possible in part by an <a target="_blank" href="https://americanpressinstitute.org/api-helps-16-organizations-deepen-community-engagement-through-collaborations-with-content-creators-and-trusted-messengers/">American Press Institute</a> grant. Special thanks to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.riverspirittulsa.com/hotel/">River Spirit Casino Resort</a> for hosting our educators, to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestNativeGoods/">Southwest Trading Company</a> for providing raffle items for class attendees, and the <a target="_blank" href="https://tulsaindianclub.org/tulsa-powwow">Tulsa Indian Club/Tulsa Powwow</a> for spending an evening of singing with attendees and other community members.

Russell Sun Eagle

Keeping traditions alive, one stitch at a time

More than a gathering: 73rd Annual Tulsa Powwow to celebrate tradition, community and generations

Cultural educators empower Native communities through dance