Fire moves from the west, east, south and north, in all four directions to come together and create a circle.

For Janet Quigg, this circle marks a monumental moment in her life.

Quigg is a Native American who believes in upholding the rich traditions of her ancestors.

From living on a small farm in Casey County, Kentucky, to being one of the creators of the Richmond Powwows Association, Quigg knew she had a place in a big world.

“I had an early teaching of nature that stayed with me all through my life,” Quigg said.

Quigg and her father would walk through the woods, where he would teach her the names of the trees, and where the bunnies’ lair was, leading her to grow a deep respect for animals and the Earth.

“I don’t think I could have lived a normal life, even if I tried,” Quigg said. “I have to be the one that catches feathers in my hands and picks up earthworms to save them.”

Quigg said her ancestors and people from her life are with her. Nature, again, has given her signs to guide her throughout life. Sometimes signs come from above from crows and hawks reassuring she is on the right path.

At first Quigg questioned herself at first, unsure if Native culture was the right path for her.
But once she stepped into a sweat lodge for the first time, she knew this was something that would forever change her life.

A sweat lodge is a small structure used for healing the mind, body and spirit. It involves pouring water onto hot stones to release the sweat from the body, Quigg said.

“I was hooked and I would drive to Ohio to a sweat lodge anytime I could because this was something that was important to me,” Quigg said. “It touched my heart and my very soul.”

Quigg was appointed to the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission in 2000 by Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton, serving for eight years.

Although it changed the way children in schools were taught about Native history, disappointment arose when members tried to “gatekeep” the culture and traditions.

“The very people who were in charge of the commission wanted to tell me how to vote on issues that arose in the committee,” Quigg said. “When you are in charge of an organization like the commission, please don’t gatekeep. . .let it be open to all people.”

Involvement is extremely important to Quigg.

With her ancestors being forced upon the Trail of Tears decades ago, she knew that she had to be a part of something that would keep the Native culture alive and thriving.

The Trail of Tears was the forced migration of thousands of Native Americans from their land during the 1830s. This resulted in extreme suffering, starvation, and deaths of thousands of Natives.

“I can’t imagine what that was like to leave your homeland, to leave everything, to leave the way of life that you knew… to a land that you didn’t know anything about,” Quigg said.

The battles faced by Natives prompted Quigg, along with her husband and Natives all across North and South America, to host the Richmond Powwow events to honor every tribe that was displaced from their land.

A Powwow is a cultural celebration that involves men, women and children performing a wide range of dance traditions, singing, feasting, crafts and other various symbolic activities, according to the United Indians Of All Tribes Foundation.

“So many people came to that Powwow, and we had a buffalo, we had school day,” Quigg said. “Children came and were educated and that’s what we wanted, to educate the public, especially the children, about real Native American culture that touches your heart.”

Quigg said her first Powwow was a pivotal point in her life, allowing her to meet people whom she calls her brothers and sisters and who helped her become the person she is today.

“They were real, they were real people with trauma that needed healing, and of course, I thought, I can do this,” Quigg said. “Little did I know what this journey would do to me.”

Although the events have come to an end, Quigg said she feels she is a better person for having these celebrations while still healing from the emotional impacts of leading the events for over two decades.

“My journey on this red road has strengthened me, enriched me, challenged me and at times literally broken me,” Quigg said. “I ask that you extend grace and mercy as you too remember what we tried to bring to the community each year, I brought you a piece of my heart as well.”

With the ending of Powwows, Quigg, along with her Native brothers and sisters now attend schools to teach Native American history and culture.

“That is so impactful when our dancers and our drums go into the schools, you can see these children. You see them want to learn, want to do and hear things that they haven’t seen before,” Quigg said.
“And that just warms my heart, it’s worth everything.”

Quigg found within herself that she will stand up to fight for what is right for not only herself, but her ancestors as well.

“We are the United States of America. People fought and died for this country. Natives went to war for this country,” Quigg said. “We can’t fall, we cannot fall.”

Quigg said she felt the energy rushing through the trees and thought to herself that this is what power feels like, not greed, not the government, but instead the wind howling past creating a circle around herself and her true identity.