Cultural Preservation
Jun 9, 2026

Heritage festival brings Shawnee leaders, Ohio communities together

Great Council State Park event highlighted Shawnee history, culture and ongoing connections to ancestral homelands

June 9, 2026

More than 300 people attended the Great Council State Park Heritage Festival on June 6 in Xenia, Ohio, according to reporting by WYSO. The event, hosted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, brought together citizens and leaders from Ohio's historic tribes to share their heritage with the public. 

Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma Chief Glenna Wallace spoke about her efforts to strengthen connections between Shawnee citizens and their Ohio homelands, according to WYSO. Carol Butler, historic preservation director for the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, told attendees that Shawnee people continue to maintain their traditions and cultures. Butler said she hopes to expand educational outreach about tribal history and contemporary Native communities through future work with schools, colleges and local organizations.

  1. 1.Adriana Martinez-Smiley. WYSO, .

We provide the independent reporting that non-Native, extractive outlets often overlook. We give our communities the context and the facts they need to make informed decisions.

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Founder and Editor in Chief

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we exist to illuminate tribal government decision-making for everyone who cares about transparency about Native issues. Because the consequences of restricted press freedom affect our communities every day, our trauma-informed reporting is rooted in a deep, firsthand expertise. Every gift helps keep the fire burning. A monthly contribution makes the biggest impact.