GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians are hosting the 41st annual Homecoming of the Three Fires gathering this weekend.
This yearly celebration, held at Riverside Park, features two days of traditional Native American music, dancing, art and food.
“We always look forward to this annual event where our tribes can gather and celebrate our traditions together,” Chairman of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Ron Yob said. “The Homecoming also offers the community a chance to learn about our traditions and culture through dancing, music and Native American food and art vendors.”
The Grand River Bands are excited to return after having to suspend the Homecoming event for three years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Grand Rapids is kind of a mecca for the three tribes of Michigan— the Ottawa, the Ojibwa and the Potawatomi," Yob explained. "It's a homecoming, and they come back because they know all their friends and all their relatives and people that have lived here at one time in their life will be here to come celebrate."
They previously held the Homecoming celebrations at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, but organizers say they outgrew the space and moved to Riverside Park to host the thousands of people in attendance.
Saturday’s festivities kicked off at 1 p.m. and run until dusk.
The Homecoming will resume at noon Sunday and continue through the late afternoon.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
"They think they have to be Native to be here, but no, these people actually like to show themselves off and they like to show that they're still in existence, they're still alive and well and they still carry on traditions," Yob said.
Event sessions started with Grand Entries at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, and at noon on Sunday, and each session honors one of the three tribes.
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of the Pottawatomi Indians/Gun Lake Tribe and the city of Grand Rapids Office of Special Events and Office of Equity and Engagement are co-sponsors of the event.
The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795.
Originally, they included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan.
Now, most of the Grand River Bands’ membership lives in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.
