By Sandra Ramirez / KOAT Action 7 News

Published on July 6, 2016

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Native Americans from all over the world make their way to Albuquerque every year for the Gathering of Nations.

The world’s largest powwow is moving to a new location next year–Expo New Mexico– and now there’s more news: medical cannabis provider Ultra Health is the gathering’s big new sponsor.

“There has been a connection with cannabis with the Native American community for hundreds of years,” Leonard Salgado, with Ultra Health, said.

KOAT spoke with Gathering of Nations organizer Derrick Matthews who said they’ve had health and dental clinics at previous powwows. He said this sponsorship is similar and will provide more health and treatment options to the Native American community.

“It’s been used for medicinal purposes throughout the United States, particularly in Indian country,” Salgado said.

Ultra Health hasn’t had as much luck getting into other big New Mexico events. The company also applied to be a sponsor of this year’s Balloon Fiesta, but that didn’t work out.

“It was not a good fit at this time. Certainly there was still some question about it being illegal from the federal standpoint,” Salgado said.

Salgado said he’ll try to sponsor Balloon Fiesta again but in the meantime he’s focused squarely on the gathering.

“We’re hoping to have a long-standing relationship with the Gathering of Nations, with the Matthews family for many years to come,” Salgado said.

Ultra Health’s sponsorship of the Gathering of Nations runs through 2022 but can be extended for another five years once the deal is up.