About Us
Mission
The Native American Programming Task Force (NAPTF) exists to plan major Native American related events on campus, including but not limited to the Ann Arbor, "Dance for Mother Earth," Pow Wow and a schedule of events for Native American Heritage Month every November. Through these events, NAPTF seeks to fulfill its goals which are threefold:
- To educate and inform the general public about issues pertinent to Native people
- To provide a space for members of the Native community at U of M to gather and interact
- To support the larger Native community at UM
History
The Pow Wow was started in 1972 by a community group, American Indians at the University of Michigan (AIUM), at that time primarily a staff, faculty and graduate student group. The Native American Student Association (NASA) which primarily was an undergraduate group was formed in 1976, at which time they began helping out with the Pow Wow as well. Traditionally, every year NASA would evolve into what becomes the Native American Programming Task Force (NAPTF) whose emphasis was specifically for the Pow Wow. This group consisted of community members and students (undergraduate and graduate students alike) who work year-round on making Pow Wow a success by fundraising and publicizing for the up-coming year. Each year, the Pow Wow grew to be bigger and better and it was then that the Pow Wow was brought under U of M's financial umbrella which was in 1982.
The Pow Wow has had a number of locations, including: Huron High School, the League, the Union, Ypsilanti's Cleary College, the Coliseum and Pioneer High School. In 1990, it moved to Crisler Arena, where it immediately doubled in size and where it has remained ever since.
The Pow Wow Committee has been privileged to work with many coordinators since its beginning. These coordinators have helped the Pow Wow's attendance increase dramatically, strengthened the Pow Wow's ties to the local community, expanded the educational aspect of its mission and aided the committee in many ways.