This weekend roundup features three notable items: photo coverage of the 65th Grand Valley American Indian Lodge Powwow in Grand Rapids; an urgent call to stop Line 5 after a July 2026 permit decision and memories of the 2010 Kalamazoo oil spill; and a Native perspective on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 that highlights more than $8 trillion in post-9/11 war costs and urges unity. The pieces underscore tribal treaty rights, environmental risk from pipelines, and the importance of standing together against violence.
Monday Morning (Sept. 14, 2026): Weekend Roundup — Powwow Photos, Line 5 Debate, and a Native View of 9/11 at 25
Below are highlights from three stories you may have missed over the weekend, covering community celebration, an urgent environmental dispute, and a Native perspective on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
Photos Of The 65th Grand Valley Lodge Powwow
Under sunny skies and comfortable mid-70s temperatures, thousands gathered along the Grand River at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the Grand Valley American Indian Lodge's 65th Annual Traditional Powwow on Saturday. Attendees enjoyed vibrant dancing and drumming, sampled Native foods like Indian tacos, strawberries over fry bread, and wild rice soup, and visited a busy vendor area where ribbon skirts were a popular item.
SHUT DOWN LINE 5!
Controversy over Line 5 intensified after the governor allowed a permit issued in July 2026 to advance and then later stepped back. Supporters of a proposed tunnel have highlighted potential jobs for union workers, but tribal leaders and environmental advocates say those economic promises cannot eclipse tribal interests, treaty obligations, and the long-term health of the Great Lakes.
The author, the son of a tribal commercial fisherman and a former tribal chair, has been active in the fight — speaking at more than 20 rallies alongside groups such as Oil & Water Don’t Mix and For the Love of Water. His experience living through the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill while serving as an executive for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi shapes his concern about what a spill could mean for communities, fisheries, and the environment.
9/11 At 25: A Native Perspective On A Day That Changed America
Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the piece emphasizes both the enormous financial and human costs of post-9/11 wars and the long history of violence experienced by Native people in this country. The Costs of War Project estimates the U.S. government spent or was obligated to spend more than $8 trillion on wars tied to the post-9/11 era.
The author draws a throughline from past injustices against Native nations to more recent domestic violence, citing the January 6, 2021 insurrection as an example of Americans turning on one another for political ends. The essay closes with a call for unity — against threats abroad and the injustices and violence present at home — and an appeal to uphold what is right.
Originally published on Native News Online.
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