I had the honor of attending the 58th annual Mother’s Day Powwow, May 2026 — a free event open to the public that honors the Native community, mothers and graduating seniors at Mac Court in Eugene OR. This designated Oregon Heritage Tradition and the oldest documented powwow in the state, is organized by the UO Native American Student Union. 

My photos begin with the Grand Entry of traditional dances and drumming followed by diverse competitions.

The University of Oregon is located on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional indigenous homeland of the Kalapuya people. Following treaties between 1851 and 1855, Kalapuya people were dispossessed of their indigenous homeland by the United States government and forcibly removed to the Coast Reservation in Western Oregon. 

Today, descendants are citizens of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon.

Other tribal nations of Oregon also included in the powwow are the Burns Paiute Tribe; the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians; the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; the Coquille Indian Tribe; the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians; and the Klamath Tribes. 

All continue to make important contributions in their communities, at UO, and across the land they now refer to as Oregon.