TRAVERSE CITY -- Rosemary Antoine considers Heritage Day an opportunity to celebrate ethnic backgrounds and gather for fellowship and a traditional pow-wow.
"When I'm here, my heart is very touched," Antoine, of Peshawbestown, and a member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. "I feel my ancestors with me, and I see my grandchildren growing up in this culture."
The National Cherry Festival's Heritage Day has grown in popularity and attendance over the past 10 years, said Dawn Centilli, who directs the annual event.
"It tells everyone that comes to visit our area the heritage of our area," she said.
The Open Space upper deck on Tuesday housed vendors with traditional handmade crafts, such as baskets and wish necklaces.
The purpose of a wish necklace is to make a wish on every bead, and since the necklace is a continuous circle, the wishes never stop, said Dan Chingwa, a GTB member who serves as elder coordinator in Charlevoix and Petoskey.
Spectators also sampled traditional food and leafed through informational materials, but the pow-wow and drum bands served as main attractions.
"I am the head woman dancer, which is an honor and responsibility," Antoine said. "You must carry yourself well as a Native American woman, because you're representing all of them."
Event participants viewed the pow-wow and Heritage Day as a chance to continue to educate visitors of the strong Native American culture and presence in northern Michigan.
Many of those who visit the Cherry Festival may not have an opportunity in their own communities to learn about the culture, said Angie Shinos, of Peshawbestown.
"There's pow-wows on weekends all over Michigan and the country," Shinos said. "We do presentations in schools, especially local schools."
The Open Space hosted American Indian events, while the Grand Traverse Heritage Center on Sixth Street was the site of a traditional picnic and other activities that reflected the region's earlier days.
"It's an old-fashioned picnic with old-fashioned games," Centilli said.
Children could compete in a game of tug-of-war, or a spoon race. They could sit down and listen to a story teller, or could visit one of the many historical demonstrations.
"The freedom that we have to go to all of these things that are offered are because of what we did in the Civil War," said Don Gray, Civil War re-enactor.
Gray was a part of a reenacted field hospital; kids were asked to pretend they had been wounded in battle and needed treatment.
Demonstrations from the logging industry and Maritime history also were present.
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