Drawn by the beat of the ceremonial drums and the chimes of its jingle-dancers, crowds gathered at Cambrian College this past Friday and Saturday, for the school's 2019 Pow Wow - Empowering Dreams of Success.
The two-day event welcomed more than 100 dancers to the Cambrian gymnasium, showcasing their talents according to style, age and gender. A vendor exhibit, feast and fashion show were also included in the event lineup, highlighting the community focus of this cultural practice.
In addition to providing an opportunity for the community to connect with one-another, powwows are important lessons in the roots, traditions and ceremonies of the Indigenous people, said elder Jim Eshkawkogam. Together, Eshkawkogam and the female elder Joan Elliot, presided over the two-day event as representatives of Indigenous culture.
Eshkawkogam said it was very important for him to participate in this and the many other powwows he is asked to attend, to help those of an Indigenous background develop a stronger sense of identity. "An elder to me, is a helper, just a little older," said Eshkawkogam.
Helpers or 'Shkawbewis' as translated by Eshkawkogam, are chosen by the community to provide help, guidance and support. However, Eshkawkogam pointed out that he wasn't the only helper in attendance that afternoon.
"We have helpers here today...youth from diverse backgrounds are all here supporting this powwow and being helpers to that powwow."
Of those volunteers were representatives of the Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle (CISC), the host of the Cambrian College 2019 Pow Wow - Empowering Dreams of Success. The CISC is a student association aimed at sharing Native culture and supporting Cambrian students.
Finding solace of his own through the CISC, it's president Matthew Peltier said the association hosts a number of workshops and events throughout the year to help students find their place within the college. Peltier said that in finding community through the CISC and its events, he hopes Indigenous students feel supported in their goals, 'empowered' in their dreams of success.
For potential students, events such as this show that "when they come here they will be respected, they will be welcomed, there will be opportunities for them to participate in learning the art and sharing it with others," said Eshkawkogam.
"(It's great) to look around and see all the new opportunities we have for young Indigenous youth to learn their culture and to retain it, to learn their language and to retain it," said Eshkawkogam.
"We need those to gain our identity, to gain our spirit and to make this world, every day, a better world for those coming."
The logo for this weekend's powwow was designed in an effort to celebrate that identity, as well as its evolution, a project that took Peltier months to perfect. "I didn't think much of it at first, but over time, the painting started to have a life of its own," said Peltier.
Peltier painted the turtle to represent North America, referred to as 'Turtle Island' by Indigenous teachings, with each of its feet representing one of the four directional colours.
Within the turtle's center, Peltier included seven dots, each a different colour of the rainbow. He said that in addition to representing the seven grandfather teachings, these dots thank the Rainbow District School Board for their cooperation in the powwow.
Lastly, the dragon holding the dream catcher was said to represent Cambrian College, "teaching us what to do and what not to do in life, as they help us reach our goals of success," said Peltier.
Find out more about the Cambrian Indigenous Student Circle by visiting their Facebook page here.
