Northern Superior Region comes together for pow wow
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Pow wow dancers from the Northern Superior Region were among those who enjoyed the Gathering of the People Pow Wow on May 27-29 at Evergreen Park in Thunder Bay.
“This is a very great pow wow,” says Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Elder Diane Michano-Richmond. “The land, the way it is, is a beautiful place to be having a pow wow, and it’s nice to see all the people dancing in this early pow wow this year.”
Michano-Richmond says she looks forward to meeting people on the pow wow trail this year after two-plus years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is the first pow wow I’m here for,” Michano-Richmond says. “This is our beautiful way of life.”
Michano-Richmond says it was “awesome” to see the young dancers at the pow wow, which featured an initiation ceremony for new dancers to begin their path on the pow wow trail.
“That was nice to see the giveaway for the outfits,” Michano-Richmond says. “That was beautiful, I really loved that.”
Pow wow emcee Janine Desmoulin, a Biigtigong Nishnaabeg citizen, says people had donated new regalia for the new dancers who wanted to enter the circle.
“We just grew our pow wow family here today,” Desmoulin says.
Desmoulin says she felt a moment of being connected when she first started dancing on the pow wow trail in her late 20s.
“I really enjoyed that interconnection between everybody here and that feeling I got, like my spirit was full,” Desmoulin says. “I felt like I could now suit up and dance for a purpose, which was my healing.”
Desmoulin says the pow wow emcee role is new for her, noting that she has emceed other types of events before.
“You grow as an individual when you step foot on this pow wow trail and pow wow grounds, and you gain a new family, you gain your pow wow family,” Desmoulin says.
Michano-Richmond says she began following the pow wow trail in 1980 after returning to Marathon from Toronto.
“I love it,” Michano-Richmond says. “It’s beautiful to see the people get together — when I came here last night I just felt like I should be here.”
Fort William dancer Neveah Morriseau says it was an “awesome experience” returning back to the pow wow environment and seeing friends and family.
“It’s real comforting after the past couple of years with no pow wows and seeing each other,” Morriseau says. “So it’s really nice to be back into the [circle].”
Morriseau says she has been involved with pow wows since she was a young child.
“I remember my mom taking me to pow wow in our community, other communities and meeting new people along the way,” Morriseau says. “It’s been an amazing experience because those friends have become really close family.”
Morriseau says it was difficult not being able to see her friends from other communities on the pow wow trail and to participate in cultural events during the pandemic.
“It was really difficult because I hold it so close to my heart,” Morriseau says. “But now coming back to it, it feels like a part of me is coming back.”
Desmoulin says the pow wow kicked off to a good start on Sunday after they had some light rain on Saturday.
“Our Grand Entry was beautifully attended,” Desmoulin says. “It’s looking gorgeous with our newfound weather today. Our dancing is going beautifully.”