UW-Superior and the Superior School District hosted the Geteoodenaang Ziigwan Powwow at Superior Middle School on May 2. The event consisted of music, dance, stories, and vendors across multiple generations to celebrate the arrival of Spring.
Geteoodenaang Ziigwan Powwow is a spring gathering for Anishinaabe people. “’Ziigwan’
means spring, and ‘Geteoodenaang’ refers to the Old Town area, a place with deep historical and cultural significance, which is the Superior area,” wrote Cali Quaderer, the indigenous program coordinator at UWS.
The event was held in partnership with Superior School District, specifically the Indian Education Committee.
Jennifer Willoughby is the Indian Ed Coordinator through Superior School District and co-planned the event with Quaderer.
“I work closely with the parent committee, and we had some really strong voices on the
committee that wanted to see a powwow come, so we reached out to Cali at UWS and
collaborated with her,” said Willoughby.
Both Willoughby and Quaderer stated how much work it is to plan a powwow. But, the
collaboration between UWS and the School District helped bring the powwow back to Superior, along with showing the importance of community.
“What makes this special is seeing our people come together, especially the youth. Watching
young dancers step into the circle, hearing the drums, and seeing elders present reminds me that our culture is still alive and strong. It’s also meaningful to see community members come to learn and support,” said Quaderer.
