Lincoln, Nebraska — The fourth annual Otoe-Missouria Day, set for September 19–21, promises to honor the tribe’s rich history through a series of public events in Lincoln and surrounding areas. A key highlight is the art exhibition “Reflections of Our People, Our Ways, Our Land”, hosted at the Great Plains Art Museum. The exhibition features 24 works by Otoe-Missouria artists from across the country, offering a visual journey into tribal identity, tradition, and place.
The exhibition is complemented by a parallel showcase in collaboration with the Gage County Historical Society, detailing the tribe’s historical presence at Nebraska’s Big Blue Reservation. Together, these exhibitions serve as both cultural remembrance and educational touchstones for the community.
Official festivities kick off on September 19 with a public reception at the museum, offering access to both exhibitions. The following day shifts to Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, where tribal members and visitors will engage in traditional dances, games, a communal dinner, and a ceremonial reading of Lincoln’s official Otoe-Missouria Day proclamation. While the event is free, attendees are encouraged to donate to support tribal members’ travel.
Cory DeRoin, an Otoe-Missouria Tribal Citizen and planning committee member, described the event as a “pilgrimage” of belonging—an opportunity for tribal members to reaffirm their ancestral ties in Nebraska while fostering mutual understanding with local communities. Lincoln City Council’s 2024 decision to permanently recognize Otoe-Missouria Day anchors this cultural rhythm in civic tradition.
In addition to the exhibitions, programming includes youth excursions, participatory artmaking, and nature walks, hosted by organizations like Big Gumdrop Outdoors. These events invite visitors to engage with tribal culture in interactive, multigenerational settings.
Central to the event is the broader initiative titled “Walking in the Footsteps of Our Ancestors: Re-Indigenizing Southeast Nebraska”. A project of the Center for Great Plains Studies and the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the initiative seeks cultural healing and reconciliation by reconnecting Indigenous communities to ancestral homelands and inviting non-Native audiences into this shared history.
By embedding traditional arts within public spaces, the event encourages reflection on memory, belonging, and the ongoing presence of Indigenous peoples in the Great Plains. It’s a powerful reminder that cultural landscape and identity are intertwined.
For visitors, educators, and community members alike, Otoe-Missouria Day and its exhibition offer both celebration and contemplation—bridging past, present, and future through meaningful cultural exchange.
