Women’s Shawl dance at the 46th annual Competition Pow Wow at Saugeen First Nation August 13.

Hub Staff

Hundreds of people from dancers to community members and leaders to spectators attended the 46th annual Competition Pow Wow at the James Mason Cultural & Recreation Centre August 13 and 14. The event honoured Indigenous culture and tradition with special focus on protecting the water and the lengths Ojibway people have gone to to honour and protect it.

Pow Wow Master of Ceremonies Allan Manitowabi, who grew up in Chicago, remarked that there are so many Pow Wows that take place on Turtle Island, now commonly known as North America, that it is “unbelievable” compared to years before. “Unbelievable how things have changed and how our people have really stepped and we have so many dancers, singers, singing groups and all the tribes, the rejuvenation of our culture and our way of life.” Manitowabi went on to say that Pow Wows are about honour, respect and generosity.

“We all have traditional teachings and all the tribes had different teaching and different ceremonies and we did things in a different way. And the big drum brought all of us together. It allowed us to share the songs and all the different tribes and all the different languages,” said Manitowabi August 13.

He then told the crowd that the culture that was once lost due to the history of residential schools and “all those things that took all those things away from us” is growing again through the younger generations and that the First Nations people are now celebrating with all people.

Kyla Roote of Saugeen First Nation, who will be attending Grade 11 at Saugeen District Secondary School in the fall, was crowned Miss Saugeen and as such said she wants to affect change in her community and that instead of people having smaller get-togethers and smaller family reunions she’d like to see the whole community come together.

Roote was proud to be named Miss Saugeen. “It feels really good. I feel like I’m really representing my community in the best way I can. A lot of little young children look up to me so it’s really nice to have them watching and maybe one day they can do the same thing.”

Following the Grand Entry for which he carried the eagle staff, Saugeen First Nation Chief Lester Anoquot thanked everyone in attendance, especially First Nations people from Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON). Anoquot reflected on the seven drum groups in attendance, stating that “drums are the heartbeat of Mother Earth” while bringing the focus back to the water. “Water is life,” he said and told the crowd about recent water walks and ceremonies honouring the water both within the Saugeen First Nation community as well as throughout SON territory.

Named Miss Saugeen, Kyla Roote upheld the honour of her title at the 46th annual Saugeen First Nation Competition Pow Wow August 13.

An exhibition of Women’s Traditional dances from Fancy Shawl to Jingle Dress at the 46th annual Saugeen First Nation Competition Pow Wow August 13.

Fancy Shawl dancers during the Saugeen First Nation Competition Pow Wow August 13.

Men’s traditional dancers during an exhibition August 13.

Saugeen First Nation infants were honoured as the future of Saugeen First Nation during the competition Pow Wow August 13.

The wee dancers strutted their stuff with the help of family members while others proudly performed traditional dances during the Tiny Tot dance during the 46th annual Saugeen First Nation Competition Pow Wow August 13.