When a girl makes the Girl Scout Promise for the very first time, she becomes a sister to every Girl Scout. Coming into this sisterhood, she learns the value of working with others who are like her and yet not like her. This is core value of Girl Scouting -- a safe place where girls learn to appreciate their similarities and differences and come to realize that they have much in common with others who seem very different.

This weekend, families will have an opportunity to do just that at an authentic Native American Pow Wow at Camp O' The Hills, in Brooklyn, hosted by Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan.

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan will welcome the public to the fourth annual “Honoring Our Sisters” Native American Pow Wow on Saturday and Sunday at Camp O’ the Hills, Wampler’s Lake, Brooklyn. This family event will feature many traditional aspects of Native American culture, including dancing, drumming, Native American foods and crafts.

Cost is $5 per person; children 4 and younger are free. Gates open at 11 a.m. The Grand Entry will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. On Sunday, the Grand Entry will be at 1 p.m. only. There will be traditional dancing and drumming from 1- 5 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m. on Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. Native American vendors will be on hand selling jewelry, crafts, and food. All proceeds from the Pow Wow will benefit GSHOM, which serves girls in 34 counties in Michigan. For more information, call 1-800-49-SCOUT.

In conjunction with the Pow Wow, Girl Scouts spent four days living and working with Pow Wow participants, learning firsthand about the “Three Fires People of Michigan,” hearing stories around a campfire from tribal elders, making authentic crafts and sampling traditional foods.

“We are the only Pow Wow that interacts with the girls for two days and teaches them cultural lessons from the perspective of Native Americans” says Davi Trusty, organizer and Pow Wow facilitator and GSHOM staff member. “We teach the girls about the roles of women in our [Native American] culture and we talk about female empowerment during a ceremony around the fire.

"The girls also learn all about how to conduct a Pow Wow and the deeper meaning within the Native American culture. They make shawls and other regalia while learning their meaning and significance."

The girls have an opportunity to learn about how they are different from Native American culture, but also how they are the same. Young Native American women and participants can talk and relate on modern topics of interest.

The culmination of the program is the Pow Wow event, which includes drumming, authentic dress and dancing. The girls, families and general public are invited to participate in the event and to come and learn what a Pow Wow is all about.

Char Luttrell is a Communications Specialist for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan. She attended her first pow wow last year. You can reach her at cluttrell@gshom.org.