The Second Annual Living Sky Casino Pow Wow got underway June 5 at the Innovation Credit Union iplex with a Grand Entry at noon. There was another Grand Entry at 7 p.m. and a third was scheduled for noon on July 6.
The Pow Wow featured many types of new and traditional dances for men, women, youth and Tiny Tots, as well as drum and singing competitions.
Admission was free, and traditional First Nations food was available at special concessions in addition to iplex concession food. There were also trade show booths with handcrafted items for sale, including clothing, jewelry and leather goods.
"The reason we have a Pow Wow is to bring together the community and bring people out to see our customs and traditions and our celebrations," said Charles Ryder, General Manager of Living Sky Casino. "For us it's very important to bring the Swift Current community together and share with them what we have to offer."
Ryder explained that "a lot of the dancers have danced through a number of generations and a lot of it has been passed on from them, so there’s a traditional dance, there’s the chicken dance, the fancy dancers, grass dancers for men's category, women’s traditional and jingle dress dance, and a lot of them have been transferred on to those people or dancers. They’re given the feathers, they pass them from their grandfathers, and that’s how they learn."
The songs carry the same traditional impact, said Ryder. "They come from long ago, and the drum is the heartbeat of Mother Earth for us, so that’s where those are passed on."
He noted that the Tiny Tots receive special acknowledgement because they represent the hope of future generations.
The Pow Wow will be back next year, said Ryder. "It will likely be the same next year, in July. We're hoping for the same location, basically the same set up and even bigger and better."
For more information, contact Trevor Marion at 306-778-5720.
View our slide show at http://www.swbooster.com/Slideshow/4688/Second-Annual-Living-Sky-Casino-Pow-Wow/1
