October 29, 2026
By Maajiitaaziibiikwe, Mary Sam
Central Lakes College brought back its Celebration of Nations event on October 7, 2026. Bringing in a crowd of students, employees, and community, CLC students and staff offered the area a few hours to pause, laugh, sing, dance, and create at a time where celebrating cultural pride was much needed in the region.
Our Native youth were crowd favorites. Nine-year-old Mattias Big Bear showcased hoop dancing, mastering 50 hoops, while the Nay Ah Shing School Frybread Band performed charming and inspiring the crowd. Additional performances and events featured Norwegian folk music, the Pachanga Society singers, crafts and tabling from around the globe, Karaoke, cultural games and more. Cultural food trucks brought in many, and free fry bread was a crowd favorite.
Events like this provide opportunities for CLC's Indigenous students and employees, and others to come together to have a felt sense of safety and belonging on campus. Events like this ignite a sense of hope that we can easily bring people together from all backgrounds to celebrate. Toddlers who had never met from all backgrounds danced and ran around together showing the innocence of relationship building and joy that can take place across cultures.
Indigenous Peoples' Day was celebrated on October, 12, at the Brainerd High School Gichi Zibi Center for the Arts. The event was hosted by The Sowing Room in collaboration with Brainerd School Indigenous Education Program, Five Wings Arts Council, Lakes Area Justice Table, volunteers from Central Lakes College and others. The gathering welcomed hundreds of students, families and community members. Tony Pike, Jamie Short, Renee Pewaush and Quintin Sam with the Mille Lacs Band Color Guard posted flags, songs by the Brainerd School Large Drum Group, where a number of Mille Lacs Band children sang the opening and closing songs, and CLC student Dakkotah Adams served as the program emcee. Seeing our young people sing at the drum, serving as an emcee, having place and purpose in Brainerd impacts students sense of belonging which impacts student success.
Two Mille Lacs Band members contributed to the educational program. CLC alumni, CLC Foundation Board Member and Mille Lacs Band Higher Education Scholarship Coordinator Michele Berger gave a presentation on powwow etiquette. Community members, often don't understand powwow gatherings so this presentation had an impact on many. Michele is a leader in the Brainerd area, who gives tirelessly to bring people together. She shared, "tonight there were moments where I laughed to tears. I keep in mind that events like this help us heal and help remind me that there are good people who want community to work on behalf of our kids and each other." Michele stated she appreciated those who came up to ask humbly and with vulnerability, tough questions, which helps dispel myths. "This is what this day is all about for me, educating and bridging cultures."
Band member Onamia High School graduate and artist, Dr. of Physical Therapy Benji Sam, gave a presentation on being raised by Elders to ethically source birch bark, cedar, basswood fiber. In addition to being a story teller, Sam demonstrated collecting and creating items for both cultural purposes and for craft, and thanking those that came before him. "When we give these presentations to groups, its incredibly important to me to give thanks to those that gave me the tools and knowledge, as its not mine to hold, but rather mine to take care of until my time is up here, preserving something that was passed on to me." In addition, Benji tabled as a vendor, showcasing birch, antler and cedar items.
Following the program, a free community meal and vendor event, the move "Medicine Ball" was shown in the theater. The storyline is about Native athletes confronting their campuses boarding school legacies and the resilience and role of basketball in communities across the nation.
