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Students make 26th Annual Canadore College Pow-Wow a success

McGregor explains the Eagle Staff and the drums are sacred items as well as all the feathers, and each regalia. "Every jingle on the Jingle Dress has a prayer in it.”
Grass Dancer
Christopher Simpson Johnston is a Grass Dancer.

Students play a big part in the success of the Annual Anishinaabe Gimmakweok Pow-Wow at Canadore College.

In its 26th year, the pow-wow was full of folks for the whole event, just breaking for a community feast.

Jodie McKenzie was working security detail in the parking lot close to the Canadore College gym. She was not lenient with the rules of the full parking lot close to the Canadore College gym. Training to be a police officer at Canadore College, she calls Temiscaming Shores home. Mckenzie will be participating in the grand entry this evening as a Fancy Shawl Dancer. Although McKenzie borrows regalia from a friend for this evening’s ceremonies, she has created a regalia for her niece.

Crystal McGregor is one of the student organizers with the Aboriginal Student Association (CASA) who originally got involved with Canadore's annual pow-wow because she needed to fulfil volunteer hours.   She is from Wikwenikong on Manitoulin Island. She says she put in her hours but the organizing committee decided to keep her on. "I'm in the Mental Health and Addictions program at Canadore so I approached the First People’s Centre about getting involved. It's been hectic putting it together but it's turning out so well.”

About 18 students worked as parking attendants, security officers and helpers. Asked about her plans for the future, McGregor says she's heading to Winnipeg. "I'll gain a lot of experience helping out my people." As for the beat of the drums, McGregor explained, "I'm a dancer myself. I’m a Jingle Dress Dancer. I've been dancing since I was a young girl."

Clark McGregor is only 21 years old but has loads of experience in hosting pow-wows. She is a member of the Whitefish River First Nation from Manitoulin Island. McGregor first started as a volunteer and is now a SASA student representative working under the First People's Centre. She is also finishing up the Indigenous Wellness and Addiction Preventions program as well as Recreation and Leisure.

McGregor thrives on hosting the Canadore Pow-Wow.  “It's an opportunity to come and gather for local communities such as Nipissing and Dokis. The event gives people a chance to interact and network."

McGregor says there are certain procedures and protocols that you have to follow in a pow-wow. "Securing someone to take part involves giving the person a pouch of tobacco. When you do that, it is like signing your name in a contract. Tobacco is used to communicate and ask questions as well. Even the drummers, the host and co-host, you have to pass tobacco back and forth to them to see if they are willing to come here and sing for us.”

McGregor also educated me on the importance of keeping alcohol and drug use away from the pow-wow. “Our head elder, we had to pass the tobacco back and forth to her, is here to protect the sacred items. Lorraine Liberty-Whiteduck  will take the lead on that. She would also share her knowledge on traditional ways if there was an issue.

Items that are here today are really sacred and cannot be around any drugs or alcohol.” McGregor explains that the Eagle Staff and the drums are sacred items as well as all the feathers, and each regalia. "Every jingle on the Jingle Dress has a prayer in it.”

As Christopher Simpson Johnston came out of the dancing area of the first Grand Entry ceremony of the day, I asked permission to take a photo of him and his regalia. Johnston obliged with a smile. He is a member of the Serpent River First Nation. The 22 year old Grass Dancer is also a student in the Indigenous Wellness and Addiction Preventions program at Canadore College.

Ryland Wesley was securing the area. He is a 21 yr-old second-year student in the Police Foundations program. Wesley has been volunteering as security for the past two years. He says he never really took part in pow-wows before coming to Canadore College but now is enjoying all the cultural events. “I’m now getting into it more. If you don’t know anybody, it may seem hard to get involved at first. But you for sure should try to.” Wesley says he’ll be endorsing more cultural events for his own community of Moose Factory, eight hours north of North Bay.

The final Grand Entry took place Saturday evening at 7 p.m. with the powwow continuing until 9 p.m..


KA Smith

About the Author: KA Smith

Kelly Anne Smith was born in North Bay but wasn’t a resident until she was thirty. Ms.Smith attended Broadcast Journalism at Canadore College and earned a History degree at Nipissing University.
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