Scenes From 43rd And Final Gathering Of Nations

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on April 27, 2026
- 7:26 am

The men dance with strength and power in full regalia. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen

Ladies prepare to dance, while younger boys assist with the music. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Los Alamos

The Last Dance for the Gathering of Nations (GON) held a full dance card of opportunities as festivities kicked off Friday morning. The floor was dazzling as the young and young at heart shined in their regalia showing thousands of attendees their passion and culture for what could be the last time in Albuquerque.

The traffic to arrive at GON was unlike any before. The line stretched so far that you were beside what seemed like hundreds of cars crawling along Lomas and didn’t know it was for the event. Often only 4 cars were able to turn the corner at Louisianna or cross over the light at the Lomas intersection to Expo New Mexico and Tingley Coliseum.

Parking was well organized and the lines were quick to move when entering the building. You were instantly greeted by dancing and even the most challenging of seats could view large screens showing everything from the announcer, to dances and the awarding of prizes.

Handmade Native quilts hung from the rafters to decorate the area where performances took place in the most delightful of regalia.

One of the female sessions contained a vast number of dancers, whittling their way down to the top 14 and ending with the top 4 who headed to the finals. The semi-finals represented Winnebago, Nebraska, Rocky Mountain, Montana, Lawrence, Kansas, and the Arapaho Nation. The prizes for first though fourth place ranged from $800 to $3,000 dollars.

Handmade blankets and skirts were also gifted to the top four. The event welcomed attendees with an array of dances including fancy, grass, fancy feather, jingle and more. A special 65 and older dance featured community elders from across the nation. Grandmothers and grandfathers could be seen dancing aside the tiniest tots that were at their first pow wow and visibly mesmerized by the grandeur of the gathering.

Outside one could take in a variety of food and beverage vendors. It is not an exaggeration to say that at any given time over a hundred customers were in line for every truck. Fry bread, Indian tacos and skewers of chocolate covered strawberries were everywhere. The shortest line was for coffee with about 40 waiting there. The largest line observed was for the “Last Dance” swag. The lines were comprised of an estimated 150 customers.

One could then venture into building full of vendors. You could buy jewelry, blankets, pet treats, learn about indigenous issues and how to use your voice. One favorite by far was Native apparel from reminding visitors who first inhabited our fair New Mexico, to common plays on the topics and sayings of today.

Attendees could stroll the sunshine dappled streets and enjoy a car show or view drummers and dancing up close. One offering featured Native women dancing from a variety of areas some wearing traditional regalia while others wore street clothes. Another outside opportunity displayed men teaching young boys to play the maracas and drums while the ladies danced for an adoring crowd.

The moment was a gift for the viewer as they could bear witness to the passing down of tradition, culture, and joy available right before their very eyes. Rumors swarmed that maybe it wouldn’t be the last dance and the event announcer stated that the non-profit, Gathering of Nations Limited will continue and retain the titles associated with the GON event over the last 43 years.

Comical shirts available from “The Natives,” feature a play on Dr. Suess books and the hit television show Bluey with “Rez Dogs.” www.thentvs.com. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen