TRIBAL ROYALTY ATTENDS GATHERING OF NATIONS

By Wendy Thomas

From April 23-25, 2026, the Gathering of Nations was held in New Mexico, and our royalty proudly represented the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

Below is a handwritten letter from Miss Pai Woman Wendy Thomas as she recounts her experiences at this year’s Gathering of Nations event.

“Hi everyone, my name is Wendy Thomas. I was honored to attend the Gathering of Nations. On April 23, 2026, I had an awesome time during my stay and got to see 194 different tribes in New Mexico, and I had the honor to be there in person.

The event featured numerous traditional dance categories and drum singing competitions.
The Gathering of Nations has been described as a
“spirit driven event”
that serves as a cornerstone for cultural preservation with significant participation from both indigenous people and international attendees.

North America’s largest pow wow annually bringing together over 3,000 indigenous dancers and singers from across the US and Canada that celebrates indigenous traditions featuring competitions, the Miss Indian World Pageant, and massive heartfelt grand entries.”

This year’s Gathering of Nations was naturally a huge success, and our tribal royalty were able to proudly represent our tribe with honor and pride.