JACKSON, Wyo. — The Jackson Hole Intertribal Gathering unfolded from Oct. 3 to 5, and the public was invited to witness the “Lighting of the Teepees” on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Phil Baux Park.
Dozens of locals turned out for the event at the base of Snow King Mountain. When Patti Baldes, creator of the “Rematriate” performance, invited audience members to join the traditional round dance, almost the entire crowd joined her in the dance.
After the performance, Baldes said it was one of the largest round dances she had ever facilitated.
Baldes’ “Rematriate” performance preceded the round dance. Dancers created buffalo sculptures out of willow, quilts and their bodies, meant to be a reflection of the relationship between Tribes, buffalo and the land, Baldes said.
Following the dances, seven lodges were illuminated with colored lights. The Lighting of the Teepees installation serves as a visual reminder of unity and collaboration, according to the Pretty Shield Foundation, a co-presenter of the event.
The Intertribal Gathering focuses on incorporating Indigenous knowledge, wisdom and voices in federal land management of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This was the first gathering to take place in Jackson.
