Lakehead celebrates 25th annual powwow

Thursday March 21, 2013

Photos by Chris Kornacki/Special to Wawatay News

Lakehead University’s Native Students Association held its 25th annual powwow to kick off the spring powwow season. Hundreds of people came out to watch and participate, along with 23 drum groups and dancers from as far away as Saskatchewan, Minnesota and across northern Ontario. The powwow even featured Inuit throatsingers to the delight of the crowd.

Nathaniel Moses of Pic River can remember the first powwow organized at Lakehead University in 1988.

“It was a small section,” he said, referring a small number of drummers and dancers that took part when it was held in the university’s Agora, which had limited space for the event.

In 25 years, the event has grown from its humble beginnings. Since the powwow moved to the Thunder Dome in the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse, it has grown into a major cultural event every March, signifying the start of the powwow season in the region.

The Lakehead University Native Student Association (LUNSA) celebrated its 25th anniversary powwow from March 17-19.

Where the first powwow feature two drum groups and a small number of dancers, this year featured 23 drum groups and dancers from Saskatchewan, Minnesota, and across the region.
“It’s good to see different faces year to year as we grew,” said Moses, who emceed this year’s event. “People have been following our culture and traditions.”

LUNSA president Sarah Nelson said this year the organizers branched out to include a Metis presence as well as invite Inuit throat singers to perform.

Becky Qilavvaq and Romani Makkik of Nunavut performed a series of throat songs and a drum song, each of which were preceded by an explanation of the history behind these cultural practices as curious and fascinated spectators looked on.

Moses said the singers added a unique aspect to the powwow.

“It was great to bring a different style into our culture and everyone showed an interest,” he said. “That’s the respect we show for our people.”

Nelson said they also displayed banners and photos from previous powwows. The photos were given away to participants by the end of the powwow.

Helping to organize the powwow was challenging for Nelson, who was not only handling a full course load but also acting as treasurer in addition to her role as president of LUNSA. In a personal capacity, she also supported the sit-in protest of a group of students who are protesting changes to a Native worldview course in Lakehead’s new law school curriculum.

“It’s a lot of work,” said Nelson, who was born two months after the first annual powwow. “But it’s a learning experience to prepare for me things later in life.”

Nelson said the powwow was a success and attributed it to the organizers as well as Moses and arena director Todd Genno for making the event flow smoothly.

Moses said the drum groups at the first powwow were composed of mostly Elders and he was pleased to see all the youth drum groups taking part this year.

“The old guys are slowly going into spirit world but groups like Little Bear, Battle Nation, their ages are young and they’ll become wise someday,” he said.

This year, he said “much love was shown, more respect, what an awesome feeling it is to be a part of.”