Pokagon band of the Potawatomi tribe performs at Goshen First Friday's

GOSHEN, Ind. -- In conjunction with Goshen First Friday's, the city welcomed the Potawatomi tribe for performances taking people on a journey through their rich history of culture, tradition, and roots.

Hundreds gathered out front of the Goshen courthouse to witness the Pokagon band of the Potawatomi tribe perform.

But it wasn't just about the performances.

"Yes, we're here and clearly we are a thriving people, but from September 4th, 1838, we were rounded up by the U.S. military and walked for 60 days, 600 plus miles to Kansas until November 4th," Madalene Big Bear of the Pokagon band says. "So, this time of year, while we are all enjoying these things, we would have been a month into walking."

It was a history lesson on fashion, dancing, and the significance of why the Potawatomi tribe has a high population in Goshen.

"It's important to recognize the fact that we are not the original people here," City of Goshen Director of Administration Affairs Michael Wanbaugh says. "We really like to look at this, not necessarily as just a recognition, but an immersion."

It's because of this immersion, Potawatomi tribe leaders like Madalene big bear feel more welcomed.

"It creates safe spaces for us," Madalene Big Bear says. "While all of our stories we share are fun and nice stories – that's certainly not all of the stories that we have about living in the communities around us. The primary focus of these engagements are to create safer spaces for us, so that we can move forward the way we moved for a millennia here in our own spaces."