Singing and Dancing at Canadore College’s 29th Annual Pow Wow
By Kelly Anne Smith
NORTH BAY—Canadore College’s 29th Annual Pow Wow was packed with students, parents and members of the surrounding communities, despite the heavy snowfall.
Hosting the pow wow in February has its challenges, but seeing familiar faces and dancing to the big drum lightens up the winter blues.
Celebrating culture and honouring future leaders was the theme the college’s First Peoples’ Centre and the Canadore Aboriginal Student Association kept in mind as they planned the 29th Pow Wow.
Canadore College Commerce Court Campus representative Steven Rickard said many students volunteer to make the pow wow a success.
“Everyone has an equal share in putting this on. It’s a team effort. We do it to share songs, share stories and to have fun as well.”
Rickard says it is important to come together in the winter months.
“It’s important to keep practised and our voices strong for pow wow season,” said Rickard. “We have international students coming out too. We teach another about our cultures.”
Chris Pheasant emceed the event. The host drum was Ottawa River Singers while High Ridge Singers co-hosted. Head female dancer was Meegwyn Alisappi and Eric Assinewai was male head dancer. Roger Assinewai directed the arena and Peter Beaucage was the Elder.
Blessings were directed to the Creator, Elder Peter Beaucage explained after Grand Entry.
“I’m telling the Great Spirit of all of us that are here. I’m asking for the teachings to come flowing into our gathering. And especially, the young people be given those beautiful teachings to understand— to understand their culture and to understand the drum songs and the dances and to follow that good life,” explained Elder Beaucage. “And the four directions of the medicine wheel – acknowledging the eastern door; the southern door; the western door; and the north door. And then, the Mother Earth. And thanking the Great Spirit for all the beautiful gifts that are flowing into our gathering here.”
Traditional artists and contemporary Indigenous artists were busy vendors with many shoppers admiring their work. Mouth-watering smells came from The Bigfoot Shack that offered Taco’s, Baloney Scones and Scone Dogs.
Volunteer student ambassador Shawnesia Ottawa, from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg in Quebec, is an Indigenous Wellness and Indigenous Prevention student. She usually dances at a pow wow, but she decided to work behind the scenes for Canadore’s pow wow.
“It’s a good refresher to see how much work goes into it. I’m enjoying both sides now.”
Ottawa was asked about the right ways to attend a pow wow.
“There is certain protocol. I was taught to have good intention. There is a standard. You don’t touch other people’s regalia. You don’t touch anyone else’s feathers.”
Ottawa says February is a perfect time for a pow wow.
“Being around ceremony, being around all these people, from back home or people from the pow wow trail – it’s nice.”
The pow wow became a family event for Shawnesia with her parents and brother visiting to enroll her brother into the program.
Recruitment and Retention Officer with The First People’s Centre, Gerald Peltier, says at least 35 volunteers helped to make it a successful pow wow, including Canadore Aboriginal Student Association members from each campus and many student representatives including police foundations students.
Peltier is already planning for next year.
“It will be the thirtieth anniversary. It’s going to be a lot bigger,” expressed Peltier. “Thirty years ago, a handful of students got together to bring unity to the students and the college, so they put on a pow wow.”
“There is a large Métis and Indigenous population in the surrounding community so it’s family time and catch-up-with-friends time,” continued Peltier. “Everybody is invited to get up on the dance floor.”