On April 22, 2026, at Haskell Indian Nations University, students in the Haskell native dance class and the Haskell AISES chapter organized “Celebrating Mother Earth Traditional Powwow,” in recognition of Earth Day, bringing students and community members together to celebrate Indigenous culture and environmental stewardship. This event was held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Haskell Powwow Grounds. The student-led event featured participants from Native Dance and Native Games programs, highlighting a range of cultural traditions through dance and community engagement.
This event originated as a class grant assignment from Dr. Freda Gipp, a professor in the School of Business at Haskell, during the spring semester of 2026 for the Technical and Business Writing class. Students were asked to choose one of the four options they believed were important for Haskell students: academic preparedness, healthy eating/movement, cultural events or activities, and mental health.
Once each student picked one of the four choices, students formed 4 groups and had to come up with an event for Haskell students. She had the groups of students write descriptions, proposals, cover letters, a budget, and budget justifications that they would present to a group of faculty members at the school of business, who would provide a grant to the best idea. This assignment gave her students a learning opportunity to understand the steps they need to take and how to prepare to pitch a grant proposal. Students Alyssa Wilson, Caleb Johnson, and Antone Manning, who chose the cultural event and activity, received the grant, which led to this powwow event.
This powwow included several dance specials, including Grass vs. Jingle, Hat and Boot, Street Clothes, and Potato Dance. The evening concluded with a round dance led by A. Guthrie, A. Manning, and A. Wilson. It also recognized guests like the Haskell Greenhouse and the Natural and Social Science Department, with an open invitation extended to the Lawrence science community and the public.
