'We are all connected': First Nations communities celebrate culture and tradition in North Bay Pow Wow
To the beat of the drum, dancers, young and old, took the centre stage inside the Canadore College gym to perform a spiritual dance. As they danced, they said a prayer of thanks to the ancestors and for healing.
Dancers from many generations made a prayer of thanks to the ancestors and for healing as part of their dancing. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)"We're dancing for those who can't dance anymore," said dancer Cody Sackaney, a member of the Timiskaming First Nation.
"For those who are sick, our ancestors who have passed on, our family and people close to us that we love."
34-years ago, a group of young students at Canadore College wanted to organize a yearly Pow Wow to celebrate their heritage and the neighbouring First Nations communities. The college is carrying on this tradition.
“As a Nipissing (University) student, a lot of us thought it was important for us to join the Pow Wow committee for the Canadore Pow Wow just to show the support between the two institutions," said committee member Genelle Manitowabi.
Representatives from several Ontario and Quebec Indigenous communities travelled to join in for the spiritual healing.
For many, this healing is needed as unmarked graves are still being discovered across the country.
"My father went to a residential school. My grandparents did, my uncles and aunties did and it really hit me on a personal level as well," said Sackaney.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Nipissing First Nation Deputy Chief Mike Sawyer said many family members and survivors are still feeling the effects and trauma.
"We're here to help one another and support one another as we start going forward in the future while recognizing the past," he said.
Up until 1951, Pow Wows were forbidden through the Indian Act unless it was for a special occasion. This grave moment in First Nation’s history still haunts generations 72-years later.
"We're here to celebrate our culture, our identity and our resilience," said Canadore College First Peoples' Centre Cultural Advisor.
"It's so important for us to all get together."
Members from Indigenous communities all over Ontario and Quebec travelled to join in for the spiritual healing Saturday. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)The theme for this year’s Pow Wow is ‘Supporting One Another’ in recognition of the difficulties the COVID-19 pandemic brought us.
"This is a way for us to show we are all connected," said Manitowabi.
Officials said the celebration doesn't end when the drum beat stops and everyone goes home, as culture and teachings are always passed on to the next generation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.