ADA, Okla. – Seven members of East Central University’s Native American Student Association, along with faculty and staff sponsors, attended the final Gathering of Nations Powwow, titled The Last Dance, at the New Mexico Expo in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Participants in the trip included students Bethany Baggerly, Mena Cedartree, Kala Furr, Adelyn Hernandez, Taloa Lewis, Olivia Terry and Miss Native American ECU Gabrielle Nucosee.

ECU and cultural advisors who oversaw the trip included Cody Baggerly, Larry Morgan and NASA faculty advisor, Dr. Destany Schafer-Morgan.

"It was an honor to accompany members of NASA and Miss Native American ECU to the Gathering of Nations pow wow,” said Schafer-Morgan. “Gabby did such a wonderful job of representing the University and our local Oklahoma Native community. NASA students had a great time meeting members from other tribal nations across the country and learning about the Indian Pueblo Nations local to New Mexico. All around great experience!"

The group arrived in Albuquerque Thursday afternoon, April 23, in order to prepare for the following day’s events.

Gates for the 2026 Gathering of Nations opened at 10 a.m. to an estimated 240,000 attendees who would come-and-go over the next two days.

Miss Native American ECU, Gabrielle Nucosee, took part in the first Grand Entry of the event, along with dozens of princesses, drum groups, dancers, veterans, elders, dignitaries and performers.

"This wasn’t the first time I have gone to the Gathering, but it was my first time representing as a princess and that made it ten times more special,” said Nucosee. “During Grand Entry I had the chance to meet many other princesses from other organizations and tribes from across the country, and plenty from Oklahoma as well. It also made it extra special being able to be there with my brother and his wife as they made their own trip there to dance."

Following the grand entry, the ECU group spent several hours touring the powwow where dancers, drum groups and various other attendees in traditional regalia performed and took photos across the expo. During this time and throughout the event, hundreds of vendors, representing tribes from across the nation, sold a wide variety of items ranging from cultural jewelry, clothing, beef jerky, decorations, etc.

The students also had the opportunity to spend time at Stage 49, located near the entrance to the expo center, which hosted several musicians and singers throughout both days, including, Lil Mike & Funny Bone, DJ Logic, Pinon and more.

The evening concluded with a second Grand Entry, which Nucosee also participated in.

The following day was dedicated to sightseeing prominent historical locations in Old Town Albuquerque and the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, which included a tram ride to the 10,378 foot crest of the Sandia Mountains. Following the day’s sightseeing, the students returned to Gathering of Nations for the final Grand Entry, with Nucosee once again participating. The group was present to witness the historic ceremony when the current Miss Indian World, a title first established in 1984, officially retired the title at the close of the final event.

With Gathering of Nations concluded, the following day was filled with more sightseeing, including a visit to the Petroglyph National Monument, one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America. Students hiked up the Mesa Point trail at Boca Negra Canyon, a short and steep trail carved into basalt boulders, featuring dozens of clearly identifiable and unique petroglyphs before concluding the trip with a 2.2-mile hike on the Rinconada Canyon Trail.

At the conclusion of the hike, the group prepared for their return to Oklahoma and ECU, looking back on three days packed with unique experiences, “Attending the Gathering of Nations in New Mexico was an incredible honor and gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in many different Native cultures and traditions,” said Terry. “One of my favorite parts was watching the dancers and seeing the unique styles and regalia that represented each tribe, along with exploring the ancient petroglyphs and visiting historic Old Town Albuquerque.”

““It was such an honor to attend the final Gathering of Nations, an opportunity I would not have had without NASA,” said Furr. “As Vice President Co-Chair, I was grateful to represent the organization while experiencing such an important cultural event. Visiting historical and cultural sites throughout New Mexico made the trip even more meaningful, and it was unforgettable getting to learn more about different Native cultures and traditions firsthand.”

The I-DREAM Project is a five-year, $3.1 million federally supported initiative designed to strengthen Oklahoma’s teacher workforce by increasing participation and success among students who may face barriers to teacher preparation access. I-DREAM supports students whose experiences and perspectives reflect the communities served by Oklahoma’s schools, including those with First American legal status, bilingual students, first-generation college students or individuals from rural backgrounds, whose preparation and participation are vital to the state’s educator workforce. I-DREAM provides financial, academic, and holistic supports, as well as high-impact professional experiences, to prepare students for successful, sustainable careers in teaching and educational leadership.

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