Myaamia Winter Gathering

By Miami University

February 10^th, 2023

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma citizens and Miami University guests connect during the Myaamia Winter Gathering

The 26th Annual Myaamia Winter Gathering was held January 27-28, 2023. The event doubled as a final celebration of the 50th anniversary of the partnership between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University.

Myaamia games keep culture alive

The Miami Tribe invited more than 100 guests from Miami University for their Winter Gathering. The group celebrated and learned about Myaamia heritage by playing Myaamia games. These games keep the culture alive by incorporating the Myaamia language and traditions.

Celebrating a win

Described by some as "Myaamia Yahtze," players pass a bowl with marked game pieces — originally plum stones and now Kentucky coffee beans — and toss the pieces.

Cristina Alcalde, Miami's vice president for institutional diversity and inclusion, (left) and Kenya Ash, associate vice president of Equity and Equal Opportunity and Title IX coordinator, celebrate during a game with another participant.

We learn from each other

The sharing of culture and tradition brings us together. The Winter Gathering brings together niiswi myaamiikaanas, ‘the two miamis.' The sharing of language, art, and heritage allows us to learn from each other and expand our knowledge and appreciation of the Myaamia culture.

Myaamia Ribbonwork

Peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki “Myaamia Ribbonwork" is an art form based on the layering, cutting, folding, and sewing of ribbons to produce beautiful and complex geometric designs. Since time immemorial, Myaamia people have decorated their clothes and bodies using variations on these geometric patterns that are reflective of community traditions, stories and beliefs.

It is these geometric patterns that make Myaamia ribbonwork unique from the ribbonwork that is created by other tribal groups. At Winter Gathering, guests were able to make paper bookmarks inspired by Myaamia ribbonwork.

Powerful storytelling

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma's annual Winter Gathering is an opportunity to share aalhsoohkaana 'winter stories.' The winter storytelling event for Myaamia people is a time to share stories that can only be told during the winter. More than 100 Miami University students, administrators, and staff traveled to Oklahoma to participate in the annual tribal event. Pictured below, Chris Bowyer, alumnus of the Myaamia Heritage Program, serves as an aayaalhsoohkia ‘storyteller.'

Storytelling: A living history

Storytellers took turns recounting various stories in myaamiaataweenki 'the Myaamia language' and English. Some pictures are included here, but no audio or video recordings are allowed. The stories are meant to be experienced in the moment.

The stories are not simply recited, they are acted out, breathing life into the subject at hand. The stories were collected from Myaamia storytellers in the late 19th- and early 20th century but are being revitalized today and are a part of the contemporary Myaamia culture.

Tours of Tribal Headquarters and Museum

The Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive is dedicated to educating all tribal citizens and the general public about the history, culture, language, and heritage of the Myaamia people.

Joining together in the stomp dance

Weecikaayankwi, We Dance Together. The stomp dance is a social dance for the Myaamia community. The annual Winter Gathering is an opportunity for Myaamia people to come together to dance.

A lasting bond

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University have built a bond of trust, respect, and friendship. This relationship is celebrated each year during the Winter Gathering. This bond will last for generations to come.

The Two Miamis (niišwi myaamiikaana)

More than 250 individuals from the Myaamia Tribe of Oklahoma, other Tribal Nations, and Miami University come together in a stomp dance at the annual Winter Gathering. It is a celebration of heritage, culture, and continued partnership.