Aacimotaatiiyankwi

Throughout the months of June and July, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma staff welcomed Myaamiaki ‘Myaamia people’ to the Eemamwiciki 2025 Summer Programs to explore the theme: Meehtohseeniwinki Ašiihkionki ‘Living on the Land.’ 

Each year, the Miami Tribe hosts Summer Programs for tribal members ages 6 and older in both Kiihkayonki ‘Fort Wayne, Indiana’ and Noošonke Siipionki ‘Miami, Oklahoma.’ The 5-day experience is designed to teach participants about Myaamia language and culture while having fun and bonding with community members. 

In June 2025, 43 participants were welcomed to the Saakaciweeta, Eewansaapita, Maayaahkweeta, and Neehsapita programs in Oklahoma. In July, 71 people participated in Saakaciweeta, Eewansaapita, and Neehsapita in Indiana. 

Young adults in the Myaamia community serve as counselors for Saakaciweeta and Eewansaapita, many of whom are alumni of the youth programs or attend Miami University through the Myaamia Heritage Program. Some of these counselors live locally to Oklahoma or Indiana, while others travel from various states to participate. 

The curriculum for the programs is the same in both locations, and each program follows the same theme throughout the week. Saakaciweeta participants (ages 6-9) learned about the Myaamia lunar calendar and the phases of the moon, created art projects representing their outdoor environments, and played peekitahaminki ‘lacrosse’ with Eewaansaapita. There were 31 participants in Saakaciweeta this year, with 11 from Oklahoma and 20 from Indiana.

In Oklahoma, the Seneca-Cayuga Nation hosted the Miami Tribe for the annual youth lacrosse game. The two nations played on combined teams for a fun, yet challenging game. Afterward, the Seneca-Cayuga Nation invited our staff and participants to stay for lunch and stomp dancing.

There were four Maayaahkweeta participants (ages 17-18) in Oklahoma, who spent the week deepening their knowledge of Myaamia ecology while practicing Myaamiaataweenki ‘the Miami language’ in daily immersion sessions.

These participants also take on leadership roles by sharing what they have learned throughout the week with youth participants in the Eewansaapita program.

The adult program, Neehsapita, had the largest number of participants yet, showing a growing community interest in the program. The participants were invited to sign up for workshops on specific days, adding more flexibility to the program to accommodate adult schedules. 

In each location, the Eemamwiciki Summer Programs ended with a celebration, where the Myaamia community was invited to view the youth participants’ art projects, share a meal, and play peekitahaminki ‘lacrosse.’

While each of these programs was happening in person, an “at-your-own-pace” version was hosted on Šaapohkaayoni: A Myaamia Portal. Online participants can explore Meehtohseeniwinki Ašiihkionki ‘Living on the Land’ through videos, audio, and images. While participants have the option to submit their work to earn a certificate of completion, they will be able to access these materials indefinitely, so their learning doesn’t have a deadline. 

In 2026, the Summer Program theme will be Eeweentiiyankwi ‘Family,’ where participants will explore what it means to be related to one another. 

Applications for the programs will become available in spring 2026 on Šaapohkaayoni and the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma’s website (miamination.com). Questions? Contact Joshua Sutterfield, Cultural Education Director, via email: sutterfield@miamination.com or phone: (918) 541-1300.