With thousands of dollars and two new vehicles up for grabs this year, Poundmaker Lodge’s 2015 powwow this weekend promises to attract the best drummers and dancers in the province and beyond.
The annual event typically draws up to 2,000 people, and organizers this year want to emphasize this isn’t just for First Nations – it’s for everyone.
“A lot of the time the general population thinks it’s just an Indian thing, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth,” said Robert Johnson, the powwow co-ordinator. “We want the general public to come and see how the Indian powwow world works.”
He said powwows began as a kind of ceremony, but have now morphed into a showcase for several significant aspects of traditional culture: singing, dancing, and drumming.
While the event informally kicked off Friday afternoon with a gathering of female elders sharing their knowledge, the big draws come on Saturday and Sunday with the grand entrances scheduled for 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days.
Sara Cardinal, Poundmaker’s community engagement co-ordinator, said if people only have a bit of time to enjoy the festivities, the grand entrances are a great opportunity to get a feel for what the event is like.
“That’s when everything kicks off and you’ll see all the dancers,” she said. “That’s what I would encourage people to come see; you’ll see all the dancers come in and it’s a beautiful sight to see.”
Following the grand entrances, there will be drumming competitions with thousands of dollars in prize money, as well as dancing competitions in seven different categories.
“For the men or the boys, there’s Chicken, Grass, Traditional and Fancy. Those are the dance categories that the men and boys can enter,” Cardinal explained. “And for the women, there’s the Jingle, Traditional and Fancy.”
There will also be a Golden-Age category where elders who have practiced these dance styles for decades can show off their skills, and a category for kids six and under who are just getting started.
This year there will also be Iron-Man and Iron-Woman dance competitions with a new vehicle as the top prize.
“It’s an endurance test for the fancy dancers,” she said. “That will be a big draw for some of the dancers.”
Johnson said while invites have always gone out to the general public, there hasn’t always been a lot of interest from St. Albert residents, something he would like to see change.
“We invite people with open arms to come to the powwow. Often times in the media, natives are vilified and we want people to understand that without drugs and alcohol, we are good people,” he said.
The event is free and family-friendly, and there will be food vendors and artisans on site. Poundmaker’s Lodge is located at the northeast edge of St. Albert just east of the municipal cemetery on Poundmaker Road.
