Pow Wow welcomes students back to higher education in North Bay
By Kelly Anne Smith
NORTH BAY—A most powerful welcome was extended to new and returning college and university students and to members of the public from surrounding communities at North Bay’s Education Centre.
It was warm and sunny for the Canadore-Nipissing 13th Annual Welcome Pow Wow on September 14th beside the pond. The outside circle had hundreds of people watching. Many were swaying to the beat of host drum Highridge Singers and visiting drum Red Hawk.
Third year Nipissing student Gracenne Newell looked forward to the Welcome Pow Wow. Newell is Métis from Barrie and back in the city to study History and Education, with a minor in Native Studies and French. Newell recommends attending the pow wow.
“It’s so important. There’s nothing like this in Barrie. There’s one pow wow a year but until I got here, I had no idea about my culture.”
Newell has developed a deep appreciation for pow wow.
“Being at the pow wow, it’s very calming, just watching everything. It’s almost like being part of the family again. My parents, they weren’t taught the culture. My grandparents, they weren’t taught the culture. They were shunned away from it because at that time it wasn’t something to be proud of. We are able to be proud of it now. It’s a good time for me.”
Clifton Couchie directed The Grand Entry and the Flag Song as Arena Director Amanda Bellefeuille carried the flag of Nbisiing High School. Veteran was Micheal Smith with Head Dancers Brittanie Amyotte and Cody Sackaney. Dignitaries included Nipissing First Nation Chief Scott McLeod, Member of Parliament Anthony Rota and North Bay Mayor Al McDonald. Samantha Brand was the student ambassador for Nipissing University while Commerce Court Campus Rep Steve Rickard was ambassador for Canadore College.
For the Inter-tribal song in which everyone can take part in, Emcee Kirby Mianscum gave an open invitation to dance.
“Come to the circle with a good heart and a good mind.”
Elder from Nipissing First Nation and Grandmother-in-residence at Nipissing University, Lorraine Liberty-Whiteduck spoke about giving her blessings to the students for a good year of studies.
“We always give a prayer at these gatherings. It’s sending out your petition to the Creator. It brings in that good positive thought into the grounds and into the people that are there, and into the drums and the dancers. And we send out good thoughts. We have the opportunity to start this dance in a good way. I always address Gitchi Manitou the Creator. That’s my responsibility as a Grandmother Elder.”
Canadore College’s The People’s Centre and Nipissing University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives worked together for the welcome pow wow. Vice-President of Enrolment Management, Indigenous & Student Services, Shawn Chorney says Canadore strives to be a college of choice for Indigenous learners.
“We are proud of our partnership approaches that enable almost 1,000 Indigenous students from across Canada to access our programs. In 2010, Canadore had an Indigenous student population of 325 students.”
Chorney added that Canadore is guided by the TRC (The 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission) recommendations.
“We apply a developmental approach to all of our programs and services both in terms of their evolution and in working towards additional perspectives through an Indigenous lens.”
Director of Nipissing University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Tanya Lukin-Linklater says the pow wow is s a wonderful way to welcome Indigenous students back to campus.
“And it’s a way to celebrate Indigenous ways of knowing and being in our culture, coming together in celebration. As well, it’s a way to engage with Indigenous communities in this region and in the city of North Bay.”
Lukin-Linklater says the pow wow is a great opportunity for non-Indigenous students to come out to learn about Indigenous ways of being and knowing.
“Hopefully this will be the first step on a longer learning journey for them. Some students come from very culturally rich backgrounds and they have strong families and strong communities that have raised them in the language or in the ceremonies or in pow wow for example, but some, it may be their first time learning a little bit more about Indigenous language or Indigenous culture. I think that has to do with our histories. The Indian Residential School system actively worked to eliminate Indigenous languages and Indigenous cultures and ways of being and knowing. So many of our communities and our families are still working to recover from that. When students come to college or university it may be the first time they encountered this or maybe it’s the first time growing in their own identity as they become interested in learning.”
15-year old Nipissing First Nation citizen Cassie St. Pierre danced the arena. Cassie is a Jingle Dancer and a student of Nbisiing Secondary School. Cassie proudly informs that she made her own regalia with the help of Grandmother Laurie St. Pierre. Cassie said that having the powwow helps with the new school year.
“It’s important because it brings the community and everyone together.”
Cassie plans to ready for her career in Addiction and Mental Health at Canadore College within two years.