Aboriginal Day 2000 celebrated

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As was the case in locations around the province, more than 600 people gathered to celebrate National Aboriginal Day at the Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre.

The festivities and events, hosted by the LNFC, the Lloydminster Metis Housing, Border City Metis Society and the BC Aboriginal Headstart Program, ran from dawn till dusk to help commemorate the longest day of the year.

The Summer Solstice, June 21,traditionally held to be a sacred day by the Plains Cree, was officially declared National Aboriginal Day in 1996 by Governor General Romeo Leblanc to pay tribute to the rich cultural diversity and contributions of the First Nations people to Canada.

A very full program was presented this year, with many new members of the community coming on board for the first time, explained Gordie Willier, the new president of the LNFC board.

"It is the first time that so many people have participated in our Aboriginal Day celebrations, including students from the public and Catholic school systems, local artists and businesses. After the early morning prayers and tipi raising, the children's choir from Father Gorman Catholic School opened our program with a song sung in Cree, the first time such a thing has ever happened here," said Willier, a Cree instructor at Eagleview High in Onion Lake First Nation.

Master of ceremonies Raymond Whitstone, who introduced the guest artists, story tellers and visiting Elders, kept the day rolling with colorful stories about local history, traditions and etiquette.

Maple Sugar, an old time fiddle band from Saskatoon, was joined by the traditional drum from Onion Lake and a number of local dancers, who jigged and squared danced in the roped off street square.

Metis dancers in traditional red sash and dress, joined by voyageur Charlotte Moon, entertained local children with tales of the fur trade and the Riel rebellion. With the last minute cancellation of the Onion Lake Dance Troupe, a number of youthful dancers picked up the slack and did more than hold their own.

Hoop Dancer Desmond Opikikew, Grass dancer Preston Opikikew, Chicken Dancer Christopher Albert, Traditional dancers Rochelle and Derek Wright and Fancy Shawl Dancer Charlene Wright danced up a storm for the cheering crowd.

"We were all very proud to see these children perform, including boys and girls from the local hoop dancing society. They are all very brave to stand up and face the music, living in town, as they do, and keeping up their traditional ways. I am very impressed with these organizations," explained Rose Naytowhow, one of the founders of the LNFC.

Visiting students from a number of local schools, were also very enthusiastic about the program which included storytelling tipis with Cree and Metis Elders, children's games, traditional hand games, war paint and tattoos done by local volunteers, and a poster painting contest.

This year's traditional arts display included (for the first time) two hand crafted masterpieces, a Plains Cree birch bark canoe and a classic Red River cart, made spoke to axle, entirely of wood.

The Cree Nation presented a taste of dried moose meat, bison burgers, chokecherries and Saskatoon pudding.

The Metis Nation gave a demonstration of bannock making done in cast iron frying pans and served up hundreds of pieces of wild berry pie.

In what has become something of annual tradition, there was dancing in the streets for everyone attending. The major highlight of the day - the Round Dance circle - spread out around the corners of 49th Ave. and 46th St., with almost as many colorful balloons to be seen in the vicinity as children.

"It was wonderful to see so many people join in, hold hands and dance together. With people coming in from all over the community, and the music of the Onion Lake Drum, we made a complete circle. It was for me, for everybody I think, the most spiritual part of the day," said Rose Naytowhow.