Colourful fun gathering at the 35th Canadore Pow Wow
By Kelly Anne Smith
NORTH BAY- “It’s a good time of year to gather,” says head Elder Lorraine Liberty-Whiteduck outside the circle at the 35th Annual Canadore College Pow Wow, Wii-ji Nishnaabeg – Bezhik Mno Waaziwin or All Nations, One Celebration.
Held on Feb 1, the Canadore gymnasium was packed with guests and dancers moving through the outside trail of vendors of beautiful works of art, feathers and leathers, and the great MC Bob Goulais. While the gym resonated with the beats on the drum and singing, in circle were the dancers in colourful, traditional and sparkling regalia dancing.
Elder Liberty-Whiteduck was happy seeing so many folks at the pow wow.
“It’s the first one in the new year. It attracts a lot of people because we’re pretty well done the wintertime and we’re going into the springtime. We meet all our friends and see all the people we haven’t seen during the wintertime. We’re beginning now to enjoy that spring weather.”
“It’s really important that we have these gatherings,” stated Elder Liberty-Whiteduck. “It shows the young people that there is a place to go. There is a place where you are welcome. There’s a place where you belong and you can come and see and meet your cousins, your family and all the people you’ve always known. You belong to this gathering where you see people doing what they are supposed to be doing as Indigenous people.”
“I’ve been here every year,” says Cultural Advisor Katherine Sarazin. Although there were two years that the event wasn’t held, Sarazin says the Canadore Pow Wow has been consistently attracting a lot of people celebrating the coming of spring.
“We still have amazing vendors. We still have every generation of dancers. We look to our Elders as speakers to share their knowledge with us. We used to have a couple hundred people and we used to have a two-day event. So, we used to get a lot more out of town people that did the powwow trail. And it was at the very end of February, the last weekend. We still have a really good crowd. Last year, we must have had 500 people in the gym.”
The powwow brings people together culturally, something students are homesick for says Sarazin.
“A lot of students are from far away. Especially our first-year students are very, very shy so it is hard to get them to volunteer and participate. But, I see quite a few of them here because usually by this time in their school year they’ve made one friend or two. So, they’re here. There are a lot of different Nations. We have Cree. We actually have some Inuit, Algonquin, Ojibwe, Haudenosaunee. There are different Nations of Indigenous students here and their families.”
A member of Dokis First Nation, Antonio Dinardo is a men’s traditional dancer talking about his journey to dancing.
“I was actually doing a walkathon for diabetes. At the community centre they had in Whitefish, they had a mini powwow going on. And I saw a dancer and I just loved what he was doing. And I started talking to him. I was very surprised how much people actually threw me in there and said go dance. And then the men helped me build my regalia up.”
Dinardo’s Eagle Feather bustle came from Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
“A gentleman gifted it to me because I danced without for so long. Our style is storytellers from when we’re hunting or when we’re at war. I always thought if you see a hunter running through the bush, you wouldn’t see him wearing a bustle. So, I didn’t wear a bustle like the woodland style, to kind of mix it up. And he said, ‘It’s time for you to wear a bustle.’ And that was maybe five years ago now.”
Coming to the pow wow and dancing make’s Dinardo feel amazing.
“I broke my hip and pelvis and I walk with a cane but as soon as I get into here (the Canadore gymnasium) and I hear the drums, I can just go. I don’t hurt. No pain, nothing. It’s 100% good for the soul. It makes me feel so happy.”
Nipissing First Nation Gimaa Cathy Bellefeuille-Stevens says Canadore has always had a big pow wow that everyone looks forward to.
“This is part of Nipissing First Nation territory. A long time ago there were agreements between the educational institutions and the First Nation to allow to build in this area.”
Gimaa Bellefeuille-Stevens welcomes guests with a message.
“Remember the lands that you’re on no matter where you go and acknowledge the ancestral people of that area. And be kind and be respectful to those lands and the people of the territory.”
Boys from the Bay from James Bay was host drum; co-host was Indian Road from Wasauksing First Nation; Nbisiing Secondary School’s Red Hawk; Ironstone from Timiskaming; Biidaaban of Chisasibi First Nation; Boys from the Island from Fort Albany and the Juniper Singers of Nipissing First Nation all took turns singing at the drum.
A hand drum contest took place. There were musical chairs and the potato dance. And a feast was spread for hungry dancers, singers and guests.
The head veteran was Jason Nakogee. The head male dancer was Cody McKenzie-Sackaney while the head female dancer was Bee Dokis-Belanger. Niibin Nakogee was head youth male dancer and Ava Couchie was head youth female dancer.
The 35th Canadore Powwow was hosted by the Canadore’s First People’s Centre and Canadore Students’ Council.