Nipissing First Nation celebrates 34th Annual Traditional Pow Wow
By Kelly Anne Smith
GARDEN VILLAGE— Nipissing First Nation 34th Annual Traditional Pow Wow, Nishnaabe Mshkiki Emiikshkaagyand “The Medicine that connects us all”, welcomed crowds to the Garden Village Baseball field on September 3-4 in Garden Village.
As the Cultural Events Coordinator, Brady Penasse is pleased with the success of one of Nipissing First Nations biggest events, especially after not being able to celebrate the pow wow in person for two years.
“We didn’t get to meet. We didn’t get to see each other’s faces. We didn’t get to hug each other. Now with all these people,” Penasse motions around the bustling powwow grounds, “We are medicine for each other.”
Penasse says care is given to loved ones that have gone on to the Spirit World.
“We send our love to them. We want to make a great powwow because we don’t know who is going to be here next year. We keep our family close with us.”
Weather on the first day of the traditional pow wow was challenging he adds.
“We had strong wind gusts that blew our arbour away. We had a lot of help from the drummers. People were running toward the arbour to make sure everyone was safe and to take down the canopies because they were no longer stable. Then everybody proceeded even though it was raining and that was very beautiful.”
Nipissing First Nation Grandmother Dot Beaucage Kennedy peacefully watched an inter-tribal dance from her chair outside the circle on sunny Sunday.
“Our traditional pow wow is a gathering of all our Anishinaabe people to come together. It’s a time of celebration of life and for the good things we’ve been blessed with – our life, our health, our family. And it’s about reviving all our old traditions, getting our young ones involved, for them to get their regalias blessed, and get their names and pick up their Anishinaabe language.”
Beaucage Kennedy says it’s a social event with everyone welcome.
“We have Traditional dancers, we have Jingle Dress dancers, we have our male and female dancers and 2SLGBTQ are invited,” she says. “Healing happens in that circle. When I’m dancing, I’m in a zone. I don’t even know who is here and who isn’t. That’s how powerful these pow wows are. I belong to the pow wow family. I go to a pow wow every weekend. I really like what I do. It’s a form of supporting that good life of sobriety.”
Adult Head Dancers are Steeve Teekens and Brooklyn Sawyer. In her third year at Nipissing University, Sawyer finds it an honour to have been offered the position of Head Dancer.
“It gives you a chance to take part in the pow wow committee. I’ve only been Head Dancer a handful of times so I’m still getting used to it. I’m very happy to be asked to be Head Dancer in my own community.”
Sawyer explains her responsibilities.
“Any questions that any of the other dancers have, they are able to come to the Head Dancers to ask us. And we lead the round dances in the two steps. We are trying to help out with whatever is going on in the circle.”
Head Elder Perry McLeod-Shabogesic says in this transitional time going from the summer to the fall, the thunders come.
“The thunders were here. They came to visit us and let us know they were here by blowing our tents around a little bit. They let us know who is in charge in creation. We have a place. The thunders allowed us to have our gathering.”
In his talk opening the day, Elder McLeod-Shabogesic gave a reminder that we have our place as human beings and we need to remember that and to honour and respect other beings around us, like the trees. He says the trees are gathered watching over what we’re doing.
“It’s the earth. It’s our mother. It’s the trees. It’s the animals. It’s the air. It’s the earth. It’s the fire. All the elements. All the creation family. And we are part of that. ”
Elder McLeod-Shabogesic commended the organization of the pow wow with many volunteers and young people.
“It’s really wonderful to see the engagement of this community and the other communities coming in to support the powwow. Our young people have become more involved, not just in this gathering but in culture in general; looking for their names, their clans, their colours. They want to be dancers.”
Bob Goulais led the arena as master of ceremonies. Burning Plains, Good Time Ojibwe, Under the Pines, and Cedar Hill Singers were featured drums.
Female Head Elder Lorraine Liberty enjoyed the pow wow with her family as did Ceremony Head Elders Michael Couchie and Glenna Beaucage. Youth Head Dancers were Rylan Fisher and Destiny Beaucage.