On August 29, the Myaamia Heritage Foundation is hosting the inaugural Myaamia Cultural Fest in downtown Fort Wayne during the Taste of the Arts Festival. From 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the culture, history, language, foodways, and arts of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, who called Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana home prior to their forced removal in 1846. The celebration includes Myaamia ‘Miami’ artists, cultural demonstrations, hands-on activities, foodways programming, and games.
We sat down with Myaamia Heritage Foundation Chair Morgan Lippert to learn more about the festival and its significance.
Input Fort Wayne: For those who are unaware of your organization, can you tell us what the Myaamia Heritage Foundation is and what you do?
Morgan Lippert: The Myaamia Heritage Foundation (MHF) is a 501(c)(3) established by the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the federally recognized sovereign nation of the Myaamia ‘Miami’ people who are indigenous to what are today the states of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and…