'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
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.