photo by: Courtesy: Laura Kingston Photography

Performers from the KU FNSA Powwow & Indigenous Cultures Festival are shown in this 2022 photo.

An annual event to celebrate Native American culture is set for April 12, University of Kansas and Lied Center officials have announced.

The KU Powwow & Indigenous Cultures Festival will include a full day’s worth of events, including two traditional grand entry ceremonies full of Native American dancers, singers and elders.

The first grand entry ceremony will be at noon at the powwow grounds outside the Lied Center on KU’s West Campus. The second ceremony will be at 6 p.m. at the same location, marking the restarting of the powwow after a supper break.

Other April 12 events, which occur at or just outside the Lied Center, include:

• 9 a.m.: Tipi raising on the lawn of the Lied Center

• 10 am: Powwow 101 presentation where audience members learn about the history of powwows and their meaning.

• 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Cherokee basket weaving demonstration. The come-and-go event will feature an interactive display that allows both adults and children to get a hands-on experience with basketweaving.

• 1 p.m.: Kaw Nation rematriation presentation. Members of the Kaw Nation will discuss rematriation, which often involves the process of restoring balance and returning to sacred relationships and ancestral lands.

• 2:30 p.m.: Ledger art presentation. A pair of artists will share artwork they have created and discuss the process they use to create their works.

• 4 p.m.: Short documentary storytelling. Multiple short documentaries created through an Indigenous Arts Initiative will be screened.

All events are free for the public to attend. The festival, which is organized by the Lied Center and KU’s Office of Sovereign Partnerships and Indigenous Initiatives, will include multiple vendors selling food, drink and other items. Organizers recommend that attendees bring lawn chairs to more easily enjoy the many outdoor events.