Dance, food, fun mark start of MHA Tourism season
Dance, food, fun mark start of MHA Tourism season
By Jerry W. Kram
It was a celebration of identity and pride.
Pride of the Badlands is the theme for the 2013 MHA Nation Tourism season. The season kicked off with a celebration to open the Earth Lodge Village west of Four Bears for the summer. The celebration also kicked off the season of events for area residents and visitors at the village.
Darian Morsette, director of MHA Tourism, said that tourism brings people from all over the world to the Fort Berthold Reservation. After agriculture and energy, tourism is North Dakota’s third largest industry, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue. With the reservation’s rich history and culture, it is an attractive destination for travelers.
“Tourism is the MHA Nation’s interface to the global community,” Morsette said. “It attracts people who want to experience the beauty and history of our land and people. We have always been here so we thought ‘Pride of the Badlands’ would be a fitting theme.”
The Earth Lodge Village will host many events over the course of the summer for both area residents and visitors. Morsette said a family night is planned with a pitchfork fondue. He said his department also has a number cultural events in development. The season’s climax will the the Warrior of the Plains Race that will be held in conjunction with the Little Shell Powwow in the fall.
