Native American Heritage Month: The Richmond Powwow Association talks preserving Native American culture

RICHMOND, Ky. (WTVQ) — “Even though I’m just, a white woman with a little bit of native blood. It means so much to me to have this month as Native American Heritage Month,” says Janet Quigg, the vice-chair of the Richmond Powwow Association.

For almost three decades, Janet and her husband Dan Quigg have been helping provide an educational experience for those in Richmond, when it comes to the customs and traditions of Native Americans.

“We realize the significance of Native Americans, we remember the tragedies that they endured, we remember everything that they have overcome,” says Quigg.

In an effort to spread that awareness, in January of 1997 marked the birth of the Richmond Powwow Association.

“A powwow is a, a celebration or a gathering, historically, I think the natives, got together after the hunt and before winter they would get together and celebrate with dancing, drumming and traditional foods and maybe crafts,” added Quigg.

Quigg says that the main mission of the association is education.

“We have to keep going and remember who we are and not to get bogged down about the color of our skin. The color of our skin doesn’t matter. We need to band together and show the world who we are and what we can do,” says Quigg.

She also says she fought while she was apart of the Kentucky Heritage Commission for recognition, since Kentucky doesn’t have federally recognized tribes.

“We tried for recognition for years, years. We, we didn’t want a casino, we just wanted to be recognized as people with native blood because Kentucky has a lot of that,” says Janet Quigg.

The Richmond Powwow Celebration is typically celebrated in September.