MIAMI NATION OF INDIANA

ALL NATIONS GATHERING

Step back, relax, and enjoy the history and pageantry of

Indiana’s indigenous Native American tribe!

Watch the dancers of Native nations!

Hear the singing and drums!

Taste the comfort food!

Take home Native-made crafts!

Enjoy the peace of forest and sky!

2024 GATHERING

Theme: HONORING The storytellers

Co-Host Drum - "the people’s medicine drum"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron SteVens

Arena Director - Brian Schnurpel

Head Veteran - dANIEL bLUE tAIL hUDSON

Head Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Female Dancer - siana fox

Head Junior Male Dancer - AdriaAn MArks

Head Junior Female DancerS - CLOE DUNNAGAN AND KENDALL TIGLER

MIAMI mAIDEN -

Meet the Gathering Committee

The Gathering Committee meets on a regular basis to ensure that our Gatherings are a success and get better each year. This Pow Wow/Gatherings have been growing every year and receives excellent and top tier reviews from many different cultures, communities, and organizations. We have created many memories and grown many partnerships ranging from the local Parke County community to Statewide organizations and individuals. One of the main goals of the Gathering is to raise awareness that we are still an active Native American Tribe and of our quest to regain our stolen federal recognition. The committee has created incredible programs each year, coordinated and met all needs a successful Gathering requires, and created a safe and enjoyable atmosphere that does not tolerate "any" negative actions from anyone. These practices have helped the Tribe to establish a highly respectable status across the country. Our deepest thanks to the Gathering Committee for all their hard work, focus, and diligence — they have proven to be a benchmark for Committees within the Tribe!

Committee Members:

Steve Buchanan - Miami - Chairman of the Comittee and Miami Spiritual Leader (Acting)

Roger Trahin - Miami - Co-owner Trahin Miller Insurance Services, Indianapolis.

Joan Calvert-Weaver - Honorary Miami - Interviewed Wap-Shing, the Miami Indian Spiritual Leader, in 1993, for her master's thesis at Ball State. She worked seven years to research, acquire and then have restored the 1860 Miami Indian Village School. Since retiring from corporate training and design at GM, Joan loves hiking, traveling, IU basketball, volunteering and the Colts.

Alan Weaver - Graduated from Manchester College and worked in retail until recently retiring. After marrying Joan, in 2002, he became interested in volunteering for the Miami Indians. Alan enjoys traveling, auto racing, the Chicago Cubs and the Indianapolis Colts.

Bill Buchanan - Miami - Bill is retired and resides in Lizton, Indiana and is married to Joyce Buchanan. They have 2 children, Troy and Trevor.

Shane Fox - Miami - Holds a Grandfather Council Seat for the Peconge Clan, is Treasurer for the tribe, and is a lead singer for Twigh Twee drum and travels to many events to share Miami Nation of Indiana drum songs and culture. He is married to Jennifer, has 3 children (Aliena, Siana, Eva), resides in Greenwood, Indiana, and is an engineer at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis.

Charlie Bridenthal - Miami - Councilman Bridenthal is married to Krista, and has three children, Eli, Sammy, and Maddie. Currently resides in McCordsville, Indiana. He is a professional landscape architect registered in the state of Indiana actively practicing since 2002. He has collaborated on several site architecture projects across Indiana. From 1988-1999 he served in the United States Air Force as a jet engine mechanic working on F-15 aircraft. In total, has served four years active duty and 7 years with active reserves. Duty assignments included two years at Bitburg AFB West Germany, 3 Months at Dhahran AFB Saudi Arabia in support of operation Desert Storm, and 2 years at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. Charlie is a member of the Miami Nation of Indiana Police Force.

Carl LaVoncher - Miami - Carl is the Police Chief and Long Term Councilman for the Miami Nation of Indiana.

Kay Witt

Ray France

Karen Williams

Past Gatherings

A special thank you to Tribal member Mrs. Diana Evans for allowing us to use many of her personal photos on this page!

2023 GATHERING

Theme: HONORING OUR ORIGINS

Co-Host Drum - "the people’s medicine drum"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron SteVens

Arena Director - Brian Schnurpel

Head Veteran - dANIEL bLUE tAIL hUDSON

Head Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Female Dancer - MINDY TIGLER

Head Junior Male Dancer - AdriaAn MArks

Head Junior Female DancerS - CLOE DUNNAGAN AND KENDALL TIGLER

MIAMI mAIDEN - EMYLE HOBBS

2022 Gathering

Theme: HONORING the drum

Co-Host Drum - "the people’s medicine drum"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron SteVens

Arena Director - Brian Schnurpel

Head Veteran - dANIEL bLUE tAIL hUDSON

Head Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Female Dancer - Savannah Mongosa

Head Junior Male Dancer - Adrian MArks

Head Junior Female Dancer - Emyle Hobbs

mIAMI mAIDEN - Alaina marks

2020 & 2021 Canceled due to Covid

2019 Gathering

Theme: HONORING our friends

Co-Host Drum - "Thunder with the Hands"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron SteVens

Arena Director - Brian Schnurpel

Head Veteran - dANIEL bLUE tAIL hUDSON

Head Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Female Dancer - Savannah Mongosa

Head Junior Male Dancer - Adrian MArks

Head Junior Female Dancer - Emyle Hobbs

mIAMI mAIDEN - Siana Fox

Singing the Star Spangled Banner - Tim Noble

2018 Gathering

Theme: HONORING mother earth

Co-Host Drum - "Thunder with the Hands"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron Stephens

Arena Director - aaron stephens

Head Veteran - daniel blue tail hudson

Head Male Dancer - shawn dunnagan

Head Female Dancer - siana fox

Head Junior Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Junior Female Dancer - Jazmine Marks

mIAMI mAIDEN - alaina marks

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2017 Gathering

Theme: HONORING OUR FATHERS

Co-Host Drum - "Thunder with the Hands"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron Stephens

Arena Director - Reggie Petoskey

Head Veteran - Leroy Malaterre

Head Male Dancer - Austin STanley

Head Female Dancer - Kayla Rudd

Head Junior Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Junior Female Dancer - Jasmine Marks

mIAMI mAIDEN - Siana Fox

Aaron Stephens/Chris Headdy - Singing the Star Spangled Banner

2016 Gathering

Theme: HONORING OUR homeland

2015 gathering

Theme: honoring the grandfather

Co-Host Drum - "Thunder with the Hands"

Master of Ceremony - Aaron Stephens

Arena Director - Rick Marks

Head Veteran - Leroy Malaterre

Head Male Dancer - Shawn Dunnagan

Head Female Dancer - Chasity Hobbs

Head Junior Male Dancer - Isaac Marks

Head Junior Female Dancer - Siana Fox

Michael Jacobs

Special Entertainment this year before the gathering will be provided by Michael Jacobs. See his website sacrednation.com for more details on this award winning recording artist! Thank You Michael for coming back this year and sharing your music.

INDY HULA DANCERS

We also welcome back the Indy Hula Dancers. They have been our guests for a few years and always provide a wonderful insight on the Hawaiian Culture. See their website http://www.indyhula.org/ for more about the Polynesian Culture and Arts.

STORYLINE DURING THE PREPARATION

We wanted to share a very important experience during the preparation for this years Gathering. It is important to offer Special Thanks to Ron Johnson, his son Ron Jr and his wife Vicki for bringing their front loader to aide in the removal of the old roof and the relocation of the gravel over the entrance to complete the double wide capacity for this years Pow Wow. Ron has spent significant time reconstructing this roof. This past weekend was spent having ceremony for 3 and half Cedar Trees and removal of those trees and hard work to install these to the Arbor roof to complete this years Arbor. Ron cut the tress, and was on the ladder and with the aide of his wife Vicki, Steve and Myself he constructed this years Arbor. Thanks Again Ron for everything!

Thank You Walter Steiger and Daniel Frey for your time and contribution in helping with the the tear down of the roof from the Arbor.

Thank You Trevor Buchanan for your contribution for the installation of the ditch tile and the widening of the front entrance using his backhoe. This will aide in clearing congestion during the Pow Wow of many traffic jams experienced in past Pow wows.

Thank You Bill Buchanan for mowing the property and keeping the grounds manageable and looking good for this years Pow Wow.

And last but not least Thank You Chairman Steve Buchanan for facilitating everything for this Pow Wow. Your time in, also mowing the grounds, and the usage of the Cedar Trees needed for the Arbor.

The STORYLINE: Through all of the hard work donated by everyone mentioned above over the past couple of weekends for these few mentioned tasks, (not to mention all the other preparation tasks by all Gathering Committee Members) we were Blessed by the Grandfather as when we exited the property on Sunday May 31st, to the left/West side parking lot. Standing there sending us off on safe journey, was the Messenger of the Creator, the Great BALD EAGLE. As I snapped several photos, right before I pressed the camera, he would hold his head high with his Majestic disposition to make sure I could see him well. Thank You Grandfather for watching over and Blessing this years Gathering!!!