People are invited to celebrate the recent snowfall and traditional Anishinaabeg outdoor games at the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ (GTB) annual winter festival (Maawnjidowin) in Peshawbestown on Saturday.
It’s the third year GTB is holding their winter games at the Strongheart Center softball field, where people will have the opportunity to participate in snow snake throwing (goon ginebig aazhawiwebin), spear throwing (zhimaagan aazhawiwebin), snow shoeing (agamig), and sledding (odaabaan). The Strongheart Center will be open for warming up and use of restrooms, while the tribe will provide hot chocolate, Three Sisters soup, and hot dogs for people to grab a bite to eat.
GTB Tribal Librarian Francis Carew helps organize the event and has been making the snow snakes by hand since the festival started three years ago. In 2021, Carew said they only had about three or four people show up, but last year, the number of attendees grew to about 60 people who made it out to play and learn about the Anishinaabeg culture and traditional games.
