Toronto celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day with sunrise ceremony, powwow

CBC News | June 21

Celebrations happening amid pushback from First Nations communities over provincial legislation

Image | Jay Lomax, a Sixties Scoop survivor who was at the Na-Me-Res Powwow celebration at Fort York, said Saturday's celebrations are a way to connect with First Nations culture, and to heal. (CBC)

National Indigenous Peoples Day was celebrated in Toronto Saturday with music, dance and a sunrise ceremony outside city hall amid pushback from some First Nations leaders over provincial laws that some say bypass consultation with their communities.

The holiday, first observed in 1996, is a day of recognition and celebration of the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples of Canada.

Hundreds of events are taking place around the country Saturday, and in Toronto, festivities began with a sunrise ceremony outside city hall, with Mayor Olivia Chow in attendance.

• Sunrise ceremonies, celebrations across Canada mark National Indigenous Peoples Day

• Community event at Fort York celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day

Grandmother Kim Wheatley of Curve Lake First Nation led the proceedings, which included prayers, greetings to the sun and giving thanks to the Earth.

"As we walk the road of reconciliation, Canadians need to know we're still here and we have something beautiful to offer and beautiful to share," she said at the ceremony.

Celebrations are continuing all day at the Na-Me-Res Powwow celebration at Fort York, which is in part sponsored by CBC.

Fort York, Indigenous Peoples Day : The Na-Me-Res Pow Wow started Friday evening and will run until 8 p.m. Saturday at Fort York in downtown Toronto. (CBC)

The event began on Friday and is hosted by Na-Me-Res, a residence for homeless Indigenous men in Toronto. Hundreds were in attendance Saturday to take in traditional music and dance on the grassy field.

One of the dancers, Jay Lomax, said the celebrations are in part a way of healing, and connecting.

"I'm here because I'm one of the Sixties Scoop survivors and I was raised out here in Toronto. And I've been dancing since I got reconnected with the culture in my 20s, doing ceremonies, connecting through the land, connecting with our people, and that's what today is really all about."

Along with music and dance, the powwow includes the Indigenous Arts Festival, where culture is celebrated through crafts and cuisine.

Celebrations are going all day, with the powwow at Fort York continuing well into the evening.

Strained relations between province, First Nations

The celebrations come as First Nations communities push back against new provincial mining legislation that many say goes against the government's duty to consult Indigenous peoples.

This week, Premier Doug Ford apologized for comments he made, saying he has treated First Nations "like gold" but they "keep coming hat in hand."

 

WATCH | Ford's apology to First Nations chiefs:  Ontario Premier Doug Ford apologized to First Nations chiefs representing Ontario on Thursday. As CBC’s Mike Crawley explains, this comes after the provincial government sparked anger amongst Indigenous communities over Bill 5.

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Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict of the Chiefs of Ontario, which advocates for all 133 First Nations in the province, told CBC News Network Saturday that the comments were hurtful.

"What we've been very clear with is that the rights holders need to be at the table talking with the government about these bills, about a pathway forward," he said. "[Ford has] acknowledged that, and I'm hoping that our leadership can accept that apology, and look to a pathway forward with the premier."

• First Nations opposition continues after passing of Ontario's Bill 5

Speaking about National Indigenous Peoples Day on the 10th anniversary of the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report, he said the holiday was in part a chance to reflect on what's been done since the commission released its 94 calls to action.

"We've made tremendous strides, but there's a lot of work to do," he said.

Ohcîwin the Origins

 

Powwow! Ohcîwin the Origins 3D Interactive Online Exhibition

Interactive Self-Guided Tour

Powwow! Ohcîwin* The Origins features 7 powwow dance styles, with full Regalia and craft work.  Curators and creators, Patrick Mitsuing and Marrisa Mitsuing, have gathered the stories, worked with the Artisans, and carefully built the Regalia for this exhibition organized by the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery.  Working with a diverse team of Indigenous Artists from Western Canada and the US they assembled each of the individual dance regalia on display.  During the 2019 and 2020 Powwow season, they met with knowledge keepers across North America to record the origin stories of the dances they perform.

The dances on display are : Men’s Traditional, Men’s Fancy, Men’s Chicken, Men’s Grass, Women’s Traditional, Women’s Fancy and Women’s Jingle.

Guest curator of the exhibition, Fran- Rogers Chowace, focus is to create visual space for the local powwow dancers and Woodland Cree history and people of this region to shine; featuring the Traditional Paths’ Society dancers and local elders/knowledge keepers.

Exhibition organized and toured by the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery (MAG, Red Deer, AB). The MAG acknowledges the generous funding support provided by the City of Red Deer, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Alberta Museums Association, Waskasoo Museum Foundation and Marguerite Lerouge Watson.

 * Ohcîwin is a Cree word meaning “The Origin” or telling of a story where something originated.

TravelMag.com has listed Powwow! Ohcîwin the Origins one of 10 Exhibitions to Visit in Alberta this Summer.

 

 

Healing Through the Drums

 

At the Nipissing First Nation’s 35th Traditional Powwow in Garden Village, Talon Beaucage dances in the chicken style.

Healing through the drums at the Nipissing First Nation’s 35th Traditional Pow Wow

 September 12, 2023 In Anishinabek, Culture, News

By Kelly Anne Smith

NIPISSING FIRST NATION — Nipissing First Nation’s 35th Traditional Pow Wow took place September 3-4 in Garden Village attracting a bigger crowd with more vendors.

MC Bob Goulais entertained while informing the dancers of upcoming songs and pow wow protocol for the growing crowd as the Ottawa River Singers and Eagle Flight sang to the beat of the big drums. Sunrise ceremonies started the day Thursday to Sunday.

Jingle dancer Ava Couchie looks forward to the two-day Nbisiing Nation Dewegigewaad.

“It’s a really nice community and I am grateful to call this home.”

2023-2024 Miss Nipissing First Nation Sassa Linklater was also feeling grateful at the sunny, popular pow wow.

“I feel very welcomed, and cared for by the pow wow committee and the community of Nipissing.”

Head dancer Samantha Mianskum talked about community in the Nipissing First Nation powwow.

“It’s all about unity. It’s all about truth and reconciliation and us healing as a whole nation from all the trauma.”

Then Samantha spoke of a big event in her life early this summer, meeting her sister Cynthia. Samantha’s son Tayton Mianscum acts in the mini-series, Little Bird, a Crave drama about the Sixties Scoop that released in Canada late May.

“I met my sister in June, a Sixties Scoop survivor. I didn’t know. We didn’t know about her, nothing. We met her in June when that Little Bird started to air. She came here today. She is in the ribbon skirt right here. She would be the eldest of all of us. She’s here with us today, visiting and getting to know our family and our culture.”

Cultural and Heritage Manager Mindy Lariviere called the Nipissing Traditional Pow Wow extra busy compared to last year.

“We have double the vendors this year than we did last year — it’s a great turnout. Last year, we had about 1,500 come through; we are anticipating between 2,000 and 2,500 people come through.”

Mindy explained the Nbisiing Nation Dewegigewaad theme is Trying to live a balanced life.

“We are trying to help our community to see that we don’t need to be perfect, but we need to live good. A lot of our families in the community are seeing a lot of trauma in alcoholism and drug abuse and even excessive food eating. Our theme is really wrapped around just people trying to live a healthy life, a balanced life; not perfect, but a good life.”

Tory Fisher was asked by the pow wow committee to be arena director.

“My spirit name is Waswaabik and I am from the Oojiik (fisher) Clan. Our pow wows are a time of celebration coming together in song and dance. Also, it is a time of healing for our people through the drums, songs, the dance and being together as a pow wow community. It is showing our community a place to be safe and welcomed into the circle and visit with family. A place to ask for help and healing through the drums or Jingle Dress dancers. They will sing for us and dance for us. It is part of our beautiful Anishinaabe way of life to look after each other through our shared gifts.”

SOURCE: https://anishinabeknews.ca/2023/09/12/healing-through-the-drums-at-the-nipissing-first-nations-35th-traditional-pow-wow/

Indigenous man credits powwow for helping step away from addictions

Gabriel Whiteduck shares his story through song and dance

By Terrence Duff and Corinne Smith, CBC News 

Gabriel Whiteduck shares his experience with First Nations youth through workshops. (Supplied)

Gabriel Whiteduck has been sober for seven years, and credits his passion for song and dance and traditional teachings for helping him heal from addiction. Powwow culture was a means for positive expression, at a time in his life when his outlook was dark. 

"When I first came into powwow, I was suffering from addictions - drugs and alcohol," said the 33-year old, in a recent interview with the Cree Radio CBC.
"It was a way to put that down and take up something. I picked up the drum and dancing, I was able to really apply myself positively."
Whiteduck is a powwow teacher, dancer, drummer and singer. Algonquin and Plains Cree, he's originally from Prince Albert, Sask., and is now based in the Algonquin First Nation of Kitigan Zibi, Que.

Gabriel Whiteduck dances traditional men's style. (Supplied)

For Whiteduck, powwow culture has been a powerful force of change in his life. While becoming a father was a defining turning point in his adult life, he credits powwow dancing and drumming as a source of renewal. He wants to share that personal experience with other First Nations youth, through his workshops and teachings.
"The odds are against our young Native men and women, unfortunately," he said.
"My story is a celebration. I really celebrate that gift that was given to me, that was given to us, the gift of being able to move and speak freely."
He started travelling in the James Bay area of Northern Quebec a few years ago, visiting communities to lead powwow workshops and attend gatherings. Last summer he took part in the first ever powwow in Ouje-Bougoumou, a predominantly Christian Cree community that has in the past resisted that kind of gathering.

Cultural identity

Powwows don't have the same long history in Eeyou Istchee as they do for other First Nations, but the practise is spreading fast. Whiteduck believes it's important for people to remember that they have a distinct aboriginal cultural identity, whether or not they participate in powwows.
As "intertribal events" they simply add another dimension to First Nations cultural expression, he said. "It's a subculture underneath who we already are."
Whiteduck says when he visits communities, he's not there to tell people how to be Aboriginal. But he believes the powwow is a way to express your culture.

"I was once a person like that, I was very shy and nervous and I think about those people in the audience, so when I dance I try to give some of my confidence off towards them as much as I can," - Gabriel Whiteduck, powwow dancer

He dances and teaches traditional men's dancing, but says everyone's style is very personal. What he keeps in mind in the powwow circle is to connect and relate to his audience.
"I like to dance for the people that are watching, the people that feel they have barriers, they want to dance but they have the confidence or the courage to get up and dance," he said.              
"I was once a person like that, I was very shy and nervous and I think about those people in the audience, so when I dance I try to give some of my confidence off towards them as much as I can."
Whiteduck says it's very important to encourage youth to find a way to express themselves and tell their story, and he hopes powwow culture is one means to do that.
He wants to meet more youth and encourage them to bring their own songs and stories, of their lives and the land, to his workshops.

Listen to the interview: https://soundcloud.com/cree-radio-cbc/gabriel-whiteduck-turned-his-life-around-from-addiction-7-years-ago