Lynne Bell
Observer Staff
听
听听听听听听听听听听听 The White Bear First Nations annual pow wow celebrated a new beginning - by returning to its roots.
听听听听听听听听听听听 The pow wow - which returned this year after a one-year hiatus - has most recently been staged on the grounds of the Bear Claw Casino. However, thanks to Pow Wow Chairperson Wanda Lonechild and a core committee of volunteers, the sacred celebration returned to the traditional pow wow grounds at White Bear, from Friday, July 6 through Sunday, July 8.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淓verybody loves it out here and everybody wanted it here,鈥� says Lonechild. 鈥淲e all worked hard to get the grounds ready.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 听鈥淥n Thursday, we had quite a few people here already to stay for pow wow and by Friday, it had doubled,鈥� she says. 鈥淥n Friday night, the first night, I was almost in tears, but I stopped myself. The committee were all shaking hands. We couldn't believe we'd accomplished it.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淓verybody was hugging all night.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 White Bear First Nations Chief Nathan Pasap thanked the pow wow commiteee, saying: 鈥淚'd like to thank the committee. It's beautiful what they achieved and we thank them for bringing the pow wow back to White Bear.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 The pow wow welcomed dancers, drummers and visitors from throughout Canada and the U.S. - including particpants and spectators from as far away as Oklahoma.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Competitors vied for $95,800 total prize money with men competing in the Traditional, Grass, Fancy Bustle and Chicken categories; while women danced in the Traditional, Jingle and Fancy Shawl categories, in spite of the oppressive heat and humidity.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Dancers and drummers ranged in age from seven-years-old to over 55 and although the prize money was a factor, cameraderie trumped competition, as veterans and elders were honoured and elders guided little ones in Indigenous traditions.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Vice-President of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association (SFNVA), Ron 鈥淩ocky鈥澨� Redwood says: 鈥淚 think it is powerful to have the pow wow back on the Nation. I'm grateful to White Bear for that.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淣ot only do we gather here, but it gives everyone a chance to meet our veterans and learn about their contributions,鈥� explains Redwood, who served in Vietnam.
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭ony Lerat, the SFNVA President is here today,鈥� says Redwood. 鈥淗e served with the Queen's Own Rifles in France. And Tony Cote served with the 81st Field Regiment RCA (Royal Canadian Artillery) and in 1974, he founded the Saskatchewan Indigenous Summer and Winter Games.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t's important in our culture to honour our veterans and White Bear has always done that.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 FSIN Third Vice-Chief Dutch Lerat said of the pow wow: 鈥淭his is our culture. This is what it means to be First Nations. This is what it is to be Indian.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚t's healing; it's the little ones dancing; it's the drums; it's the healing within.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淚 am very happy to be here today after 10 or 12 years,鈥� added Lerat. 鈥淢y mother came here - it was one of her favourite pow wows.鈥澨�
听听听听听听听听听听听 The pow wow was already deemed a success well before its final day. White Bear Band councillor Bernard Shepherd told the crowd on Saturday: 鈥淥n behalf of Chief and Council, thank you everybody who came out to the pow wow. Six weeks ago, these grounds didn't look like this. We have some really committed people here.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淭his is a new beginning for our pow wow and we'd love to see you all back here again.鈥�
