Veterans bear flags; at the forefront FSIN's new eagle staff
Photo by Shirley Collingridge
Veterans bear flags; at the forefront FSIN's new eagle staff
Photo by Shirley Collingridge
With performances that included theatre companies, a variety of singers and a multitude of dancers, the powwow proved riveting. Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Center Dance Theatre's performance depicted First Nation roots while Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company depicted the treaty process.
A dancer herself, FSIN Chief of Staff Irene Oakes had experienced firsthand the monotony of nonparticipation when a broken ankle benched her. That is why she was determined the FSIN event would be equally entertaining for dancers and audience alike.
"Our goal was to make it short and sweet to make sure the audience stayed all the way through," said Oakes. "We had an agenda. We stuck to it. It was difficult because - you know how powwows are. We brought in different types of dances from other places in North America to keep the audience there. They got to see something a little bit extra."
Twelve-and-under competitors (juniors) appeared at the beginning of the program, "so everyone would see them," said Oakes. "Usually they come at the end. Then only the parents watch. Everyone else is asleep."
It seemed the dance floor held every kind of dancer. In men's traditional dance, bold hunters raised spears raised in triumph or dipped eagle-feathered headdresses as they stole toward phantom prey. Iroquois Smoke dancers awed the crowd with the speed and agility of their war dance. Hoop dancers depicted the unity and change of all living things. Inuit throat singers imitated birdsongs and Jingle Dress dancers brought promises of health and good medicine. And everywhere there was a joie de vivre.
"We wanted to recognize our people here from Saskatchewan who did the special dances - Eagle, Lance and Shield and Buffalo Dances," said Oakes. "Lady's fancy shawl is really exciting -- dazzling - shiny. A lot of these girls don't know where it came from so I brought in the original fancy dance. We had some of the original fancy dancers. That was awesome."
Amanda McCallum, Standing Buffalo band's senior princess, explained why aboriginals love to dance. Dancing, it seems, is good for the soul. "I've been dancing since I was two years old," said McCallum, now 15. "It makes me feel very good. I'm going to continue until I'm hopefully golden age. My cousins dance and my grandpa used to dance."
Senior Princess, Standing Buffalo prepares for the dance
Photo by Shirley Collingridge
McCallum, who placed third in the teen traditional category, says the secret of winning is to "Be very determined. Be happy. It's important to have a clear mind and happy thoughts while dancing. It really helps to smile."
Onion Lake's Katlyn Mountain has only been dancing about 18 months but like McCallum, she is hooked - "It feels great." Fellow contestant Rebecca Thunderchild returned after a brief hiatus. "I missed dancing," said Thunderchild, "I just have fun." Moreover, added the duo, dancing keeps teens out of trouble.
Thunderchild Reserve's Richard Thunderchild knows firsthand about keeping out of trouble. The men's traditional dancer, who has been back for only seven years wasn't always a good role model. "I quit when I was 10 years old. Back then I danced boy's grass -- it was called junior boy's fancy. I came back when I was 34. You do the math."
Richard Thunderchild's formerly topsy turvy world is righting itself thanks to the healing power of dance
Photo by Shirley Collingridge
In between, Thunderchild travelled some bumpy roads that made him appreciate the gift of dance. "It makes me feel free -- gives peace of mind. I can go around to the States, southern Alberta, southern Manitoba and I always feel welcomed when I'm in a powwow circle because the powwow circle is one big family. There is no better family than that because everywhere you go people have the highest respect for you. They know you are clean, you don't drink, don't do drugs when . . . you are a powwow dancer. I've been sober eight years, drug free coming up thirteen years, and cigarette free about eight months now."
Thunderchild and his wife handcrafted his arrow-pierced porcupine headdress. The couple make male dancer regalia for male dancers and, chuckled Thunderchild, the highway department should thank them because porcupine quills and other accessories often come from road kill. Gracing his tie is the band's eagle symbol "I have always had the eagle spirit protecting me," said Thunderchild. "When I am out hunting and see bald eagles above me, I pray, asking them to take me to some wild game. They guide me."
Thunderchild's wife and four children -- including four-year-old Summer Sage - are also dancers. Still limping from the exertion of last weekend's Prince Albert powwow, Thunderchild chuckles, "A little bit of pain doesn't hold a good Indian down."
Oakes agrees. Despite a horrendous bout with the flu, she persevered through event preparations, working alongside a core group and coordinating 50 others. "It was a lot of work," said Oakes. "I had a great committee - they were in there 200%. It was probably two or three others plus myself, non-stop pushing it, pushing it, but we had a lot of people [for] support."
The idea for the celebration and powwow "initially came out of a legislative assembly's chief resolution to hold an annual event," said Oakes. "Right now the FSIN is implementing treaty information in the classroom so they wanted to bring all this together. The Friday event was based on treaties and cultural heritage." Forty-one student workshops reinforced that cultural learning.
Feathered head-dresses flash and bob in a sea of colour
Photo by Shirley Collingridge
"We are hoping this will be the first annual of many more to come," said Oakes, proclaiming the event "a great success. The main goal was get them to stay and watch and be a part of it and wonder what was going to happen next. I think we achieved it."
Return to Feature Articles
Home