August 06, 2009 –
MAYETTA: Below are photos of last night’s Gathering activities in Prairie Peoples Park, the Youth Leadership Conference Meet and Greet and photos from today’s activities.
LAST NIGHT
Harmony Rice from the Wasauksing First Nation is publisher of Spirit Magazine and was the featured speaker at the Meet and Greet that opened the Youth Leadership Conference last night. She was also emcee for today’s event that was held at the Casino.
Youth enjoying pizza and sandwiches at the Bingo Hall.
Amber Tecumseh, Dominic Ortiz and Josie Pahmahmie helped organize the Youth Leadership Conference.
Setting up camp in the park.
Enjoying the first community pot luck.
TODAY
Eddie Joe Mitchell, Ann DeCoteau and Tim Mendez greeted participants and registered newcomers.
Lining up for lunch at the park.
Lisa Littleaxe, PBPN, of Dallas has a booth with her family this year.
Ralph Tecumseh, PBPN, drove folks back and forth from the parking lot.
Diana Payne, PBPN, displays her work that is for sale.
Ben Joslin and Alicia Sellens, PBPN IT Department, are controlling the sound system in the arena at the park.
Hal Wiggins, Pokagon Band, is a vendor.
Bus tours are being scheduled throughout the Gathering. Above is Raphael Wahwassuck, far left, greeting Potawatomi as they returned from one of the trips.
Selling sweet grass from Canada is Marilyn Ermatinger of Walpole Island.
A language conference was held at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort this morning. Above is Steve Ortiz, PBPN Tribal Chairperson, in the blue shirt, greeting a fellow Potawatomi during a greeting session.
Chairman Ortiz had the PBPN Language Department form a receiving line and asked all the attendees to come forth and meet them.
Left to right is Linda Jones of Billings, Montana, Lindsay Marean of Eugene, Oregon, and Leo Nadeau of Soldier, Kansas who were reunited at the Language Conference. All three are Citizen Band Potawatomi members.
The Youth Leadership Conference continued today at the casino and seen above is Kenneth Meshigaud, chairperson of the Hannahville Band, and Laura Spurr, chairperson of the Huron Band, giving the thumbs up to the audience. Both chairpersons were a part of a panel of tribal chairs that spoke to the group today.
The youth seemed to enjoy doing some stretching exercises during the conference.
A workshop was sponsored by casino employees called Future Ink in the afternoon for the youth. Participants were split into two workshop sessions where they learned about becoming professionals and finding a job.
Rachel Deo, who works for the casino, conducting one of the workshops.