For three days in August, 233 Native and non-Native people came from across North America for the Fourth Annual Mni Wiconi Wacipi Family Camp in Turner, Oregon. They came to celebration, strengthen families, enjoy friendships, support Native communities and be encouraged in the spiritual journey in the Jesus Way.

 

Our purpose is to create an environment of love, honor and respect, where Jesus is honored in the midst of cultural diversity and Native expressions.

 

Friday night was “Talent Night” with skits, songs, storytelling, rapping, poetry readings, dancing, drumming and worshiping together. It was such a hit that it will now become a fixed part of our annual gathering.

The Sharing Circles led by several Native couples and singles were another highlight. Casey and Laura Church, Potawatomi/Navajo, led one on traditional family life. During the circle, they shared the traditional water ceremony. Laura shared how Native people appreciate all the Creator’s gifts, taking nothing for granted. As each person was given a little paper cup of cool water taken from a copper bucket, one lady shared how this simple act, “broke open a well of tears. All the years of life’s accumulated “dust” was being washed away.”

 

Saturday’s powwow was a huge success with dozens of dancers, great drum and singing groups, lots of fun dancing and visiting with friends and family.

We were very blessed to have Paul Otoko and his Micronesian friends and family who shared their traditional dances and songs. They brought with them a “Jesus right way” to heal the historical past from when Europeans intruders invaded who desired to wipe the land clean of Indians. These indigenous people from the South Pacific came asking for forgiveness for the wrong way they treated the Native American community when they first arrived on North American shores by not coming in a good way. The Native Americans gladly forgave and blessed them.

 

After the afternoon powwow, this group blessed almost 600 people with an authentic Luau pig roast. The pigs were roasted in the ground for 24 hours, then laid out flat on a table and cut open for everyone to enjoy—a Polynesian feast with all the trimmings.

The celebration concluded with a whole evening of powwow dancing, singing, and sharing the love of Jesus in a way traditional Native people understand. Those who attended came away feeling loved and honored having tasted of “living waters” that Chief Cornerstone freely gives.

 

Wiconi’s Living Waters Family Camp and Powwow is all about extending God’s invitation to broken people to accept Creator’s offer to join him in a loving community through a personal relationship with Jesus.