Community comes together at Family Day Pow Wow
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Pays Plat First Nation’s Sharlee Achneepineskum and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg’s Eryn Genno were recognized with first-place honours in two special dances at Thunder Bay’s Family Day Pow Wow. Achneepineskum won the special dance in honour of the late John Wesley, also known as Big John, and Genno won the Hat and Boots special at the pow wow, which was held on Feb. 16 at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition’s Coliseum building.
“It was really inspiring and it just made me feel better,” says Achneepineskum, a Fancy Shawl dancer. “I’ve kind of just danced since I could start walking. My mom and dad taught me how to dance. My dad knew Big John and they’re both in a better place now, and when I was dancing, I was thinking of both of them. Dancing just makes me feel better spiritually and as a whole.”
Genno says she always loves showcasing her Hat and Boots style.
“It’s something I first started this summer and fell in love with right away,” Genno says. “I just dance my hardest and do my best. I have been practising my Hat and Boots skills for the past few months, and I know when I watch Hat and Boots specials, I know what I like when I’m watching so I practice those styles at home. That last one was the Crow Hop, it’s my favourite one to do in the Hat and Boots style so I made sure to do my favourite moves.”
Genno says the pow wow was amazing.
“I always love seeing the community come together, especially on a day such as Family Day,” Genno says.
Dokis First Nation’s Gary Dokis says the pow wow was great.
“This is the second year I’ve come to it, there’s so many people,” Dokis says. “I think there’s six or seven drums, it’s a really good pow wow. There’s something about the drum that brings you in and I like being out there.”
Long Lake #58 Councillor Narcise Kakegabon says there was a great crowd at the pow wow.
“Everybody [was] dancing, everybody enjoying themselves, great drums,” Kakegabon says. “And it’s nice to see all the families that are bringing out their kids. It’s part of our culture, it’s part of our tradition. It’s just great to be here, these events are important to our city and it’s important to our culture and it’s important for our people to come out and join each other.”
Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg’s Beverly Sabourin says she enjoyed the healing dance at the pow wow.
“What was especially nice about it was there was a fellow by one of the drums who had a smudge going on so you had a chance to smudge if you needed to, so that was a nice touch, I really liked that,” Sabourin says. “It’s important to be together as a family, to celebrate as a family, to just stay connected and to be connected not just to family, but to the larger community of families.”
Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory’s Kim Hillman says it was beautiful at the pow wow.
“It is so nice to see so many dancers and drummers coming out, especially the young kids,” Hillman says. “This is put on by the City of Thunder Bay and I’m with the Indigenous Advisory Committee, and we are a bridge between community members and the city. It’s so encouraging to see so many people out enjoying themselves. We’re getting so big we had to put the vendors in another building (Heritage building).”
Red Rock Indian Band’s Ron Kanutski, emcee at the pow wow, says they also had a spot dance with $1,144, five Canada Games Complex passes, and a set of earrings from Tanager Spade.
“I just want to thank the kindness and the gratitude of the many people who donated for that spot dance,” Kanutski says.