Thunder Bay Family Day Pow Wow draws a large gathering of dancers, crafters, and attendees
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — The Family Day Pow Wow 2023 was a hit with more than 100 registered dancers and a First Nations crafters market on Feb. 20 at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay.
“It was an overwhelming success in terms of attendance and participation,” says Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek Elder Jim Mishquart, emcee at the Pow Wow. “Thunder Bay and surrounding area, this is a real strong pow wow city and after the last couple of years of hardly getting together, the families really looked forward to getting together.”
Mishquart says Anishinabek Nation Regional Deputy Grand Council Chiefs Mel Hardy and Travis Boissoneau attended the pow wow, as well as Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff.
“A lot of children, a lot of parents [attended], it was well received,” Elder Mishquart says. “We had some people joining us from out-of-town.”
Fort William Councillor Michele Solomon says the pow wow was a beautiful way for families to come together on Family Day.
“There’s people from all communities here, it’s being hosted by the City of Thunder Bay and I think it’s just a really great thing to do on Family Day,” Solomon says. “[There were] lots of kids, lots of vendors – the vendors were great – and of course, they’re going to feed us this great meal, but mostly, it’s really nice to see the kids here in their regalia and having the opportunity to practice this way of life.”
Fort William Elder Sheila DeCorte, head female Elder at the pow wow, says there was “an amazing turnout.”
“I’m impressed with the number of dancers, the amount of people and the vendors,” DeCorte says. “I think we need a bigger venue next year.”
DeCorte says she was honoured to be asked to be the head female Elder for the pow wow.
“It was the first time I was asked to be the female Elder at a pow wow, so it was very humbling and I was quite honoured to do that,” Decorte says, noting that she did an opening prayer and shared some teachings during the pow wow. “As a Water Walker, I always bring back the very important teaching of water and how water is life and how we need to get that water moving within our bodies. We need to get that water in ourselves moving so that can help us heal and flush out any toxins.”
Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek Elder Mike Esquega, head Elder and Family Eagle Staff carrier at the pow wow, says the pow wow was great.
“It’s awesome, good turnout, lots of dancers enjoying it,” Elder Esquega says. “When we hear the drums and the songs, some of them are healing, some of them are meant for family, so it’s a good time for it. As Anishinabek people, we need to do these things to understand who we are.”
Elder Esquega says he shared during the pow wow about how he used to ask high school students if they knew who they were when he was teaching them in school.
“You’ve got to go through life finding out who you are as an Anishinabek person,” he says. “So I think these are important and they’re going to help us, especially the kids. We’ve been through a lot as Anishinabek people right from the beginning, the assimilation tactics – Residential School, Indian Day School – taking away a lot of who we are as a people.”
The pow wow was sponsored by the City of Thunder Bay, Matawa First Nations, Confederation College, and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.