Gathering of Nations: The World’s Largest Native American Cultural Event

Gathering of Nations: The World’s Largest Native American Cultural Event
The 32nd Annual Gathering of Nations, considered the most prominent Native American powwow in the North America, will host tens of thousands of people and more than 700 tribes from throughout the United States, Canada, and around the world.

The three-day event will include more than 3,000 traditional Native American singers and dancers competing, and more than 800 Native American artisans, craftsmen and traders displaying and selling their work. In addition, contemporary indigenous music groups will be performing a wide variety of musical genres on Stage 49. Vendors in the Native Food Court will offer guests a large selection of food choices ranging between southwestern-style cuisine and traditional Native American fare.

As part of the Gathering of Nations, a young Native American woman will be crowned Miss Indian World and represent all native and indigenous people as a cultural goodwill ambassador.
As one of the largest and most prestigious cultural pageants, Native American and indigenous women will represent their different tribes and traditions. The contestants will compete in the areas of tribal knowledge through interviews, essays, public speaking and traditional presentation, and dance.

“The Gathering of Nations is the world's largest powwow bringing people together from throughout the United States and around the world to the event each year,” said Derek Mathews, founder of the Gathering of Nations. “The Gathering of Nations strives to be a positive cultural and spiritual experience that is exhilarating for everyone. The powwow features thousands of dancers performing different styles from many regions and tribes, offers the finest in Native American arts and crafts in the Indian Traders Market, a delicious variety of Native American and Southwest cuisine, and the best in contemporary entertainment performances on Stage 49.”

The Gathering of Nations opens with the Miss Indian World competition on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The much anticipated “Grand Entry,” where thousands of Native American dancers simultaneously enter the arena dressed in colorful outfits to the sounds of hundreds of beating drums, begins at noon on Friday, April 24. The Grand Entry will be repeated Friday evening at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, at 12 p.m. (noon) and 6 p.m.

The new Miss Indian World will be crowned on Saturday evening, after the Grand Entry. The Gathering of Nations will be held at WisePies Arena aka The Pit in Albuquerque.

Fans of the Gathering of Nations can now listen to the event on iHeartRadio, the only 24-hour radio station in North America that offers Native American music of all genres including powwow, rock ‘n' roll and spoken word. Through the iHeartRadio partnership, Gathering of Nations Internet Radio can be heard on the internet throughout the country and is broadcast over the airwaves in major radio markets.

General admission tickets cost $17 per day, or $34 for a two day pass. VIP Club Level tickets are available for $60 (at the door price). Tickets are available online or guests can purchase them at the door during the event.

Southwest Airlines is the official airlines of the Gathering of Nations.

For more information on the 2015 Gathering of Nations visit www.gatheringofnations.com.