APTN to launch new docuseries on ‘community, connection, and power of culture’
By Rick Garrick
OTTAWA — Former Mississauga #8 Chief Bob Chiblow and Indigenous chef Shawn Adler are featured in APTN’s new series Pow Wow Chow, which has its world premiere on May 7. Produced by InterINDigital Entertainment and SandBay for APTN, the English version of the 30-minute documentary airs at 7:30 p.m. ET and the Anishinaabemowin version airs at 9 p.m. ET. The 13-episode series will also be available on APTN Lumi beginning May 1 at: aptnlumi.ca.
“For the last couple of seasons, they’ve been following us around the pow wow trail and it was a great experience,” says Chiblow, owner of Chiblow Fish. “This is more of a [docuseries] because there’s no acting, what you see is what you get. It was a lot of fun.”
Chiblow says the film crew followed his journey to eight pow wows where he prepared and sold his fish and chips meals.
“May 7 is episode one — that was our pow wow we did,” Chiblow says. “That shoot was four days, they shot me in my [Chief’s] office at the band office and we toured the community so it’ll be interesting to see when it comes out because I’ve never seen it.”
Chiblow says he began selling his fish and chips at pow wows about 20 years ago after getting into commercial fishing on Lake Huron’s North Channel.
“It went over well, I have a secret recipe that I do, and from that, it just ballooned,” Chiblow says. “We did the Little NHL this year in March — we went through over 500 pounds of fish, which is a lot, and almost 40 50-pound bags of potatoes. We added scone dogs and my wife did over 700 for the week.”
Adler, owner of Pow Wow Cafe, says he grew up going to pow wows and eating pow wow cuisine every summer.
“Obviously, that’s just part of who I am,” Adler says. “I became a chef, I really enjoyed cooking and I went to culinary school and I started doing music festivals first and worked my way to pow wows.”
Adler says the filming of the series was an interesting experience, noting that the film crew caught some interesting material.
“It was a great crew and a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see it,” Adler says. “I definitely remember lots of rain out in Halifax at the [North American] Indigenous Games, just a torrential downpour, flooding happening all over Halifax and we’re trying to cook and keep it all together. A neighbouring food vendor was having a little barbecue fire and I was helping put that out. There’s always lots of excitement when you’re busy cooking for potentially thousands of people in a weekend.”
Katery Legault, executive producer of the series, says they are thrilled to bring the series to audiences across the country. The series provides viewers with the opportunity to discover the history, diversity, and creativity of Indigenous food while gaining a deeper appreciation of the regalia, the songs and dances and the ways in which pow wows unite, strengthen and inspire communities.
“This show is not just about food, it’s about community, connection, and the power of culture to unite us,” Legault says. “We hope that viewers will be inspired to explore Indigenous cuisine and support Indigenous chefs and artisans in their own communities.”
Legault says she grew up in Moosonee along the James Bay coast and went to pow wows when she was young.
“It was a chance for my mom to get together with her family and friends and we would cook a goose over an open fire,” Legault says. “So doing this was really special especially since my mom passed in September of 2023. She would have loved this series.”