Healing together: Native American veterans gather at Cantigny

Native American veterans from throughout the country joined together for healing during the 10th Anniversary National Gathering of American Indian Veterans at Cantigny in Wheaton Saturday.

“Healing for one, healing for all: Together,” was the theme of the three-day event, which runs through Sunday. Native American veterans, nonnative veterans and their families took part.

Native American drum circles, veterans groups, speakers and artists were part of the program.

Gina Roxas, executive director for the Trickster Cultural Center in Schaumburg, which is hosting the event, said what makes the Native American veterans unique is that their service centers around the defense of the land itself.

“For Native Americans it doesn't matter what the war is, we're not fighting for a particular figure or even for a cause, it's the call to war to defend the land here in the U.S.,” Roxas said “We've been doing this since the beginning of time.”