Pow Wow Schedule
Area Summer Events
Preserving Ojibwe Culture for Our Children and the Community
A group of Tribal Leaders and business men formed the Indian Bowl Association which was incorporated by the state of Wisconsin on July17, 1950. As a result the Indian Bowl has been a centerpiece of cultural sharing and education for Lac du Flambeau and surrounding Northwoods communities since 1951.
Traditional dance and storytelling performances have brought audiences together for more than 60 years. Each summer, the Indian Bowl was the epicenter of gatherings and celebrations for Indian and non-Indian families alike. Tourists to the Northwoods journeyed annually to Lac du Flambeau (Waaswaaganing) to enjoy the best of Ojibwe culture and tradition. Guests were treated to an authentic Native American experience, and took home lasting memories and a piece of living history.
In 1965, one of the visitors was President Dwight Eisenhower! In a naming ceremony, the Tribe honored President Eisenhower with the Ojibwe name Giniw-Wi-Giizhig, or Golden Eagle.
The venue has offered artisans and historians a place to showcase the best in Native American artistry and traditional cuisine. The economic impact to the community and the region became vital, and many families relied upon the summer income to supplement their subsistence living.
In 2004, the Lac du Flambeau community recognized the disrepair the historic facility was facing. Tribal and community leaders came together to create a vision for a new Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl Living Arts and Culture Center. That vision has become a reality, and Phase 1 of the new facility is now open.
Suffering the effects of hot, humid summers and snowy winters, the decaying Indian Bowl was demolished in September 2014 to make way for the new facility, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on August 4, 2016.
Construction was completed in July 2017, and the community hosted the July 4th Pow Wow at the new facility.
Maintaining the Historic Pow Wow Grounds
The Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl is a vital part of the practice and preservation of the traditions and culture of the Lac du Flambeau Tribe.
The Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl Living Arts & Culture Center is a venue for traditional dance, pow wows and drum-group singing.
The Indian Bowl gives children, local families and tourists from all over the world the opportunity to learn about Native American culture and traditions.
The Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl Living Arts & Culture continues to be the premier cultural tourism attraction of the Northwoods.
