Village of White Pigeon approves its first powwow for 2011

Descendants of Chief Wahbememe appeared on a float in this year's White Pigeon Days Parade on July 9th. (Click on photo to enlarge)

WHITE PIGEON, Michigan – The White Pigeon Village Council has approved Wamimi, Inc. to host a two-day powwow during its annual White Pigeon Days celebration.  The action came during the council meeting on August 17th.

The powwow is scheduled for July 9 & 10, 2011. This inaugural powwow will be named the “White Pigeon Days Powwow.”

White Pigeon, the oldest village in Michigan, was named for Wahbememe (White Pigeon), who was an ogema in the late 1700s and early part of the nineteenth century. Wahbememe fought with Tecumseh and was a signer of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. He died soon after he completed a heroic run from Detroit to where the village of White Pigeon is located today. He died in 1831 and a stone marker still stands at the site of his grave. The gravesite maintains national and state historical distinctions.

White Pigeon is located in southern Michigan, near the Indiana and Ohio borders. A Michigan State Police post is located there. Planners anticipate attracting attendees from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

“My family is quite thrilled by the actions of the village trustees to approve a powwow at White Pigeon,” said Levi Rickert, one of the planners of the event and a direct descendant of White Pigeon. “Having a powwow there will increase cultural awareness of the vast contribution Wahbmeme made to the village and southwest Michigan, for that matter,” Rickert added.

Powwow planners hope to get as many direct descendants as possible of Wahbememe to come to White Pigeon to celebrate the new powwow. There will be a special recognition of the all members of the White Pigeon family attending the powwow.

“I am excited to share my family’s rich history and culture with the non-Indian community. They will be able to experience ethnic food, dancing and beautiful works of art,” replied Nancy Krogmann, great-great-great granddaughter of Wahbememe. “It is an honor to help put this dream into reality.”

An essay-writing contest on Wahbememe is being developed for students of the White Pigeon Community Schools. Students will be able to write an essay on the important role Wahbememe played in the village’s history and enter it into a contest. Winners will be announced on Saturday, July 9, 2011.

Powwow planners want to ensure dancers and drummers will make the White Pigeon Days Powwow part of their summer stops along the Powwow Trail.

For more information, visit the White Pigeon Days Powwow website: http://www.whitepigeonpowwow.com/.

Source:  News release from Wamimi, Inc.