Metis community honors dancer

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On Nov. 18, more than 700 people gathered to remember Joey Gladue, a dancer from Edmonton who died in a motor vehicle accident on Sept. 3. Gladue, who was 18 when he died, was a member of the Edmonton Metis Cultural Dance group.

Both the Native and Metis communities honored Gladue by hosting the first Joey Gladue Memorial Festival Talent Show and Dance. His trophies and his medals were displayed close to the tables where his immediate family members sat. Family members and members of the dance group spoke fondly of a young man who was taken away from them at such a young age.

"The reason for putting on the Joey Gladue memorial was to, first of all, honor a young man who was a member of our dance group who was with us for a total of nine years," said Lyle Donald, co-ordinator of the Edmonton Metis Cultural Dance group. "A lot of people who were from up Saskatchewan way got a chance to be at the memorial to say goodbye to him. Part of why we put up this memorial was to give everyone a chance to say goodbye," he said.

Among the competitors at the talent competition was 82-year-old Eva Mckenzie.

"It was good to have Eva up there. She is a pretty good leader in her community of Fort McMurray. She showed why she is considered a good leader by getting up there to sing. She was a good singer, made the young people look up to her. We had a lot of singers from all over Alberta, a lot of really good singers. We were really surprised," said Donald. "We still have some young thinking, spry, older individuals out there. They are still able to show the young people that they still can do it. It was good having them enter the contests because they managed to encourage the young people to enter," he said.

On Saturday afternoon, fiddle bows were well oiled as four fiddle competitors vied for the big win. Judges listened attentively as the crowd stomped their feet in time to the music.

Shortly after the fiddle competitions, the dance competitions began. Dancers were dressed in colorful Metis costumes as they swirled to square dance numbers.

"We were happy to showcase Metis culture and talent during the talent competitions. It was something Joey and the rest of the dance group was very proud of. We also had a few ladies in their late seventies and early eighties who entered the jigging competitions. With the dance competitions, some of the dance groups were from Saskatchewan, and one from Norway House, Man.," said Donald. "We'd like to thank all of the people and businesses who helped us out. For next year we are already looking at the dates of Nov. 17, 18 for the memorial. We've already booked the Canadian Native Friendship Centre," he said.

The winners in each category are as follows:

Female vocals

First Place - Shelly Stoney

2nd Place - Bev Chalifoux

3rd Place - Eva Mckenzie

Male vocals

1st Place - Trevor Gladue

2nd Place - Andrew Gladue

3rd Place - Donny Gladue

Vocals Duets

1st Place - Bev Anne & Delanie Cardinal

2nd Place - Bev New & Anna Courterielle

3rd Place - Noella & Robin Campbell

Old Time Fiddling (open)

1st Place - Homer Poitras

2nd Place - Don Arcand

Old Time Fiddling (Senior)

1st Place - Gilbert Anderson

Red River Jig (Jrs.) - Girls

1st Place - Lacey Arcand

2nd Place - Melanie Desjarlais

Red River Jig (Jrs.) - Boys

1st Place - Raymond Gladue

2nd Place - Mark Gladue

Red River Jig

(Golden Age) - Women

1st Place - Irene Natowhow

2nd Place - Alvina Strasbourg

Red River Jig

(Golden Age) - Men

1st Place - Walter Cardinal

2nd Place - Bob Durocher

Red River Jig - Women

1st Place - Stefanie Lafond

2nd Place - Tammy Walters

Red River Jig - Mens

1st Place - Vern Boucher

2nd Place - Doug Longmore

Square Dancing

1st Place - Green Lake Dancers (Sask.)

2nd Place - Opawikoscika Dancers (Pelican Narrows Sask.)

3rd Place - Red River Wheelers (Edmonton)