As the rhythmic thunder of drums rolled across Albuquerque, NM, in late April, where the sun casts golden rays over the Sandia Mountains, thousands gathered at Expo New Mexico for the 2025 Gathering of The Nations Powwow. Among them was sophomore Stella Hunter, who traveled from St. Paul for the first time to partake in North America’s largest powwow. Immediately, she witnessed an explosion of Indigenous culture, tradition and unity. Over 3,000 people, including attendees, singers, dancers and artisans, attended, coming from over 700 different tribes across Canada and the U.S., all united together.

“I’ve never seen so many Native people at once. It’s one of the biggest powwows in the world. It was just an overall, really good experience. It was surreal,” she said.

For Stella, a person with Ojibwe, Ho-Chunk, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and Tlingit heritage, the two days at this event offered an experience to flourish in Indigenous culture and learn the power events can have in reigniting Native identity once forced into a minority.

Hunter hadn’t planned to attend the powwow. Her dad was in Albuquerque for a conference and the family decided to turn it into a trip. By chance, the Gathering of the Nations overlapped with their visit.

“I wish we went down there just for the powwow, but it was still fun,” she said.

The Gathering of the Nations Powwow had many different and unique cultural events that celebrated the richness and diversity of Indigenous traditions. One of the most anticipated highlights was the Miss Indian World pageant, where young Indigenous women aged 18-25 showcased their cultural knowledge, traditional talents and dress.

Complementing the pageant was the Horse and Rider Regalia Parade, a majestic event that honored the deep bond between Native peoples and their horses. Riders adorned in intricate tribal regalia and paraded through the grounds, each group narrating stories of ancestral pride. Stage 49 was a dynamic platform for contemporary Indigenous performances featuring line-ups of musicians and DJs.

It was impossible to be hungry at any given time as The Indian Traders Market was a bustling hub where over 400 vendors offered a plethora of Native made goods from traditional foods and wellness products, to handcrafted jewelry and textiles. It provided sales opportunities for artisans and also allowed the attendees to engage directly with the creators, fostering deeper connection and unity. There were singing and dancing performances with competitions, fueling the visibility of Indigenous art.

However, Hunter’s favorite part was the symbolic Grand Entry at the start to mark the very beginning of the powwow, including dancers head to toe in regalia and spiritual prayer.

“There are so many people and everyone’s regalia looks so nice. It’s just like a powerful thing to see. I would love to relive that again,” she said.

Together, these events encapsulated the spirit of the Gathering of The Nations, offering Hunter, who watched dance, listened to music on Stage 49 and tasted delicious food like crispy Indian tacos (Frybread), an immersive experience into Indigenous culture. She also met family and friends at the event, including family from Minnesota who are a part of a drum group called the Southern Boys.

“They have northern style, music and northern style pow wow music. It was very nice to see that, represented at such a big event for Native people,” she said.

Another aspect that moved Hunter was the amount of diversity present among the different tribes and stories told through music and dance; her favorite dance groups were Women’s Fancy Shawl and Men’s Fancy. But perhaps the most profound part was that despite differences, every person found connection and unity with the others, creating an incredibly heartwarming space. When asked if she learned anything about other tribes and customs, Hunter commented,

“I did actually because the tribes down there, they’re Pueblo tribes. It’s a very different environment down there. They have totally different art styles and, still, there’s like, some similarities, like between how the drums are made, but it’s totally like a different culture and it’s super cool to see that.”

Growing up in Minnesota and being one of the few Indigenous-identifying students at school, Stella is used to being part of a small Native population. Being surrounded by sound and thousands of other Indigenous people was both exciting and affirming.

“We’re such a minority in America. And I feel like, it’s just good to know, you’re not alone and there are so many other people that share similar experiences to you and stuff like that, even if they’re like, halfway across the country,” she said

Visibility matters, especially when it has been taken away by colonialism. Stella believes that powwows like the Gathering are key to cultural pride and resilience.

“I think young people should attend events like this, because it helps, you know, build a stronger community in the Native community in times like these, with like, all this divide[…] I definitely think that more Native people should come to events like these,” she said.

The Gathering of Nations event was more than a simple celebration, it was an act of resistance, a reclaiming of space and a revival of stories that European colonialism once tried to silence. For Stella Hunter, this experience was very powerful and provided an image of what the future can look like when Indigenous people are given the platform to lead, perform, and flourish in their own stolen homeland.

“I think it definitely brings attention to it. And because there was so much promotional stuff down there, it was kind of like a networking thing as well. Just meeting different people, vendors and stuff like that,” she said.

For Stella, the journey doesn’t end in Albuquerque. She returned home not just with memories for a lifetime, but also a new vision for the future of unity among communities. In a world that often seeks to generalize or ignore Indigenous narratives, the Gathering of the Nations roars back with unrelenting beauty, showing that heritage is not something buried in the past, but something that should be boldly and joyfully alive in the present to the future.