As the sun set on the banks of the Red Cedar River, where generations of the Anishinaabe once lived, a new flame flickered in “the backyard” of the Multicultural Center (MCC). On April 30, Michigan State University hosted its first Fire Circle Ceremony – a moment of reflection, community and reconnecting with the land that carries the history and stories of Native people across Michigan.
Ceremonial fire circles have been part of Indigenous culture for centuries, symbolizing healing, remembrance and connection with ancestors. Sacred fires serve as a spiritual doorway to the spirit world. Designated firekeepers build these fires, which are never left unattended, and follow strict protocols to maintain their purity. Only sacred medicines (tobacco, sage, cedar and sweetgrass) and food for ancestors can be offered. Participants are asked to stay respectful and positive, creating a space for unity and reflection. Sacred fire circle ceremonies continue to play an important role in Indigenous wellness and spirituality, passed from generation to generation.
On the Banks of the Red Cedar
The Fire Circle Ceremony area honors the history, culture and traditions of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi tribes, the Indigenous Great Lakes tribes whose ancestral land MSU occupies. Reserved exclusively for ceremonies, the space is maintained by the fire keeper and burns only oak and hickory to preserve its sanctity.
Traditional Fire Keeper JD Gibson led the Fire Circle Ceremony, beginning with a prayer and offerings of the four sacred medicines. He shared the spiritual meaning and history of the ceremony as participants placed tobacco in the fire with their prayers to honor ancestors and care for their spirits. The men held a pipe ceremony, learning how to tend the fire and the importance of keeping it burning. Meanwhile, a women’s drum group from the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center performed songs that echoed through the space, elders shared stories and students reflected on the experience. The day concluded with a feast of Indigenous foods, including fry bread, wild rice soup, turkey, berries, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese.
Access to the fire circle is limited to members of Educating Anishnaabe: Giving, Learning and Empowering (EAGLE), North American Indigenous Student Organization (NAISO), the Michigan Indian Leadership Program and the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center to ensure it remains a space for authentic cultural practice and learning.
“Having a physical space on the Red Cedar River, a space where our ancestors lived and gathered for generations before MSU was even a thought, where we can gather today in ceremony to reflect on our connections to each other and to this land is incredibly powerful,” said Dr. Kristin Arola, director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies. “It connects the past to the present and helps us imagine a future.”
The Fire Circle Ceremony space acknowledges that Native culture and traditions belong at MSU. Located between the International Center and the Red Cedar River, where Indigenous encampment once stood, the space represents a meaningful step toward restoration, respect and reconciliation.
Years of Advocacy Light the Way
For decades, Native students and community members envisioned a place on campus where traditional fire ceremonies could be held. A space rooted in Indigenous practices and accessible to all. That vision, more than five years in the making, became reality with the opening of the MCC and the Fire Circle Ceremony area, a space to share stories, pass down traditions and build community.
Dr. Emily Sorroche, who is Haudenosaunee (Cayuga) and Puerto Rican, serves as the associate director in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Office of Culture, Access and Belonging, helped organize the fire circle ceremony as part of her ongoing work to elevate Indigenous visibility and inclusion at MSU. She described the event as a culmination of years of advocacy for representation and recognition.
For Dr. Sorroche, the Fire Circle Ceremony represented the strength of her community.
“I attribute my accomplishments on the relationships and community I’m a part of,” said Dr. Sorroche. “I couldn’t have done it without them, that’s who I call on, who I go to, I celebrate with them, I grieve with them. My community is who I am.”
Sorroche worked closely with Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF), EAGLE, NAISO, the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center, MCC staff, fire marshalls and traditional fire keeper JD Gibson to develop community-informed policies and procedures for the new space. Those include but aren’t limited to securing the right to use tobacco for ceremonial purposes and the right to sage for ceremony.
Dr. Sorroche also heavily advocated for students and carried their vision to the finish line by holding administrators accountable, connecting them with resources, finding solutions and including their voices in decisions about the look and layout of the space. She works to make sure Indigenous students feel seen and heard, to know they have a voice and a place at MSU. She hopes the Fire Circle Ceremony inspires students to continue voicing and envisioning ideas that bring the community together, to keep moving forward, ask questions and stay focused on their goals.
“Historically for Natives, things are taken away or not given. So the fact that this [ceremony] was ours, that this was finally here, if you look at the land acknowledgement and what it means, having this shows that MSU is supportive of the Indigenous communities,” said Dr. Sorroche. “It helps take a step toward belonging and inclusion when we have a ceremonial area that is dedicated to community.”
Dr. Arola also emphasizes that the university, as a land-grant institution built on Native land, carries a responsibility to actively support Indigenous communities, restore cultural connections and ensure that students, faculty and staff understand and respect the histories, knowledge and traditions of the people whose land the university occupies.
Strength in Sovereignty
Dr. Kevin Leonard, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, serves as the director of the Native American Institute in the Office of University Outreach and Engagement at MSU. Dr. Leonard works to make MSU a more supportive environment for Native students, helping them feel they belong and know they’re supported. He also helps the university better serve Native communities by empowering them to be self-sufficient and independent from federal and state control.
“What drives my work is serving our communities and helping them maintain and gain back their sovereignty and access a lot of the resources taken away from them,” said Dr. Leonard.
While attending the Fire Circle Ceremony, Dr. Leonard became emotional reflecting on the advocacy and support needed to hold this tradition on campus. Students have been fighting for the MCC for more than 50 years, including Native students who fought alongside Black and Latino students, but were overlooked. He said it takes more than the Native community advocating for change, and recognizes the many allies across campus who have stood alongside them to make the fire circle possible.
“It brings back the cultures and teachings that were stripped from us in the boarding schools and through the assimilation of our people,” said Dr. Leonard. “If colonized society had its way, we would’ve lost those traditions and teachings. To me, it’s more than one thing, it’s a combination of seeing it come to fruition and the blood, sweat and tears of multigenerational people who made the MCC and the fire circle come together.”
The Fire Circle Ceremony also creates another opportunity for Native communities to come to campus. Many visit to attend the Powwow of Love in the spring, but this space allows for more programming and engagement, reminding them that the university is home to them as well and connecting them to the land their ancestors came from.
Dr. Leonard encourages faculty to continue to support Native communities by advocating for the creation and hiring of Native faculty and staff across campus. They can also attract Native students through scholarships and programs without violating state or federal laws, because Native communities are not defined by race but by sovereignty. Students can support Native peers by showing up to protect the Rock on Indigenous People’s day, volunteer at the annual Powwow of Love and educate themselves on Native history while unlearning prejudice. Community members can shop local and Native by attending Powwows, buying from vendors and supporting Native-owned businesses such as the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center in Lansing, which hosts craft shows twice a year; Beaded Powwow Supply in Grand Rapids or Herbal Lodge, an online Native medicine and tea shop.
An Ongoing Commitment
As the embers faded into the evening sky, the Fire Circle Ceremony marked a renewal of spirit, connection and belonging. What began as a vision years in the making now burns brightly as a symbol of indigenous resilience and presence at MSU. The fire circle space not only honors the original stewards of this land, but also ensures that their stories, languages and traditions remain woven into the fabric of the university.
The ceremony reflected the collective effort of generations, students, elders, faculty and community members who worked tirelessly to make this moment possible. It affirmed that Native culture and ceremony have a home at MSU, one where future generations can gather, heal and learn.
The Fire Circle Ceremony serves as a reminder that reconciliation is not a single act, but an ongoing commitment to listening, learning and honoring the land and people who have always been here.
Learn more about the MCC here.