Island powwow honours nation's past and future

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Favourable winds off the North Channel and near perfect temperatures greeted participants in the 12th annual Aundeck- Omni-Kaning Powwow held June 7 and 8. The theme of the gathering was "honouring our past, celebrating our future." It took place five miles west of Little Current on the reserve.

The Medicine Star singers performed during the grand entry and the N'Swakamok youth drum sang to honour veterans in attendance.

Elder Violet McGregor conducted the invocation. She called upon the community to strive for peace on both a personal and a community level.

"We need to have peace within ourselves in order to have peace in our community and our country," she said.

"We cannot obtain peace through alcohol or drugs; we need to show our young people the way so that they can find that peace within themselves."

Chief Patrick Madahbee welcomed visitors to the gathering.

"We have been holding ceremonies every morning," he said. "We have been praying for the sick in our community and we have been praying for guidance for our youth. We asked the Creator to care for our Elders and our children."

He paid tribute to a group of Aboriginal youth and Elders who are walking to Ottawa to seek action on the youth suicide crisis. The Youth Suicide Prevention Walk began in Nanaimo, B.C. on April 1.

A blanket dance was held on June 8 to show support for the cause, and $149 was collected.

Support for American Indian Movement activist Leonard Peltier was also demonstrated during the powwow. An honour song was dedicated to Peltier, who has been incarcerated since a shoot-out with FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota in 1973. He was arrested and charged with murder after a 71-day occupation of Wounded Knee.

Wikwemikong veteran Angus Pontiac presented feathers given to him by Peltier and asked the gathering to send their positive thoughts to the long imprisoned warrior.