VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Royal Athletic Park was alive with colour and emotion as the community gathered to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation during the third annual South Island Powwow on Sept. 30.
Hosted by the Songhees Nation with support from the City of Victoria, the event aimed to recognize survivors and their families, honouring the spirit of reconciliation through traditional Indigenous song and dance.
The powwow started with a grand entrance at noon featuring dancers from various First Nations, highlighting the resilience of Indigenous cultures.
Among the dancers was Erin Kakeewai, an Ojibwe member of the Whitefish Bay Nation in Northwestern Ontario, who wore a jingle dress - a garment with deep cultural significance - gifted by her mother.
B次元官网网址淭he jingle dress is a healing dress,B次元官网网址� Kakeewai said. B次元官网网址淚 wear it to honour my kokum (grandmother), great aunts, and uncles who attended residential schools. When I dance, IB次元官网网址檓 dancing for their spirits.B次元官网网址�
Kakeewai expressed gratitude for the annual gathering, noting its importance in uniting Indigenous communities to practice their traditions freely after years of governmental prohibition.
B次元官网网址淚 just love coming out here and seeing everybody practice their ceremonies and traditional dancing,B次元官网网址� Kakeewai said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very special to share this with non-Indigenous people.B次元官网网址�
Jack Henderson, a member of Port Hardy's Kwakiutl Nation, was part of the this yearB次元官网网址檚 crowd. Attending the event alone, the man shared his experience as a survivor of the Sixties Scoop and residential school.
B次元官网网址淚 feel a bit sad and emotional being here,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 here to honour my parents and myself for what weB次元官网网址檝e gone through.B次元官网网址�
While this annual event may evoke painful memories, Henderson highlighted the therapeutic value of gatherings like the powwow in acknowledging and purging past traumas.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about honouring the past and letting go of what we've experienced,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t helps us cope with the negativity we carry.B次元官网网址�
Attendees John and Laurie Hurlburt, who have actively participated in reconciliation efforts at their local church, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to witness this yearB次元官网网址檚 powwow. The two appreciated the hospitality of the First Nations community, despite a painful national history.
B次元官网网址淚 think it's amazing that we're invited to share in this journey,B次元官网网址� John said, as he proceeded to express his admiration for the beauty of Indigenous traditions.
Despite the challenges of the past, Kakeewai remained optimistic, noting that Indigenous communities across the country continue to showcase their resilience. She emphasized that todayB次元官网网址檚 powwow serves as a testament to her peopleB次元官网网址檚 strength and their promising future.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just so beautiful to see the youth being out in the regalia and their jingle dresses. I love seeing that,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t just reminds me that we're alive, we're well and we're not gone.B次元官网网址�
