Cultural awareness and lots of plain fun

Northern Lakes College hosted its annual traditional powwow on May 6. The morning events consisted of hand games taught by Romeo Waskahat of Frog Lake, and dance workshops were taught by Tina Isadore of Driftpile.

About 500 visitors attended throughout the day to hear the sound of the drum group River Cree. The dancers came from Salt Prairie, Grouard, East Prairie, Wabasca, Enoch, Driftpile, Sawridge, Big Horn, Horse Lake, Whitefish, Slave Lake, Duncan, Berwyn, Smith, Sturgeon Lake and Grimshaw.

The only contest at the powwow was the Last Person Standing, where the drum performs a series of trick songs back to back. The dancers have to stay on time with the beat and any dancer that does not stop when the drum stops are "tapped out" until there is a "champion." The Last Person Standing contest was won by a Junior Girls Fancy Dancer from Slave Lake, Tonesha River Walker. It was her second year in a row winning the contest.

Each year Northern Lakes College hosts three events to raise Aboriginal cultural awareness and to provide a fun learning experience for guests and participants. These events are the traditional powwow, the Metis celebration and a round dance. These events take place at the Grouard campus, admission is free and each celebration features a workshop as the learning component. Guests from all cultures are invited to attend.