Thousands attend 1999 Wanuskewin powwow

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Modern society and ancient cultures bridge 60 centuries of time to connect on the banks of the Opimihaw creek near Saskatchewan's largest city.

It is where 21 sites of Plains Indian history have recently been unearthed and turned into the archeological and educational jewel that is the Wanuskewin Heritage Park.

Bridging the distance between old and new was the goal behind the creation of Wanuskewin, and that goal has never been better accomplished than during the park's annual powwow on May 26.

The theme of the 1999 edition of the powwow was honoring Elders in conjunction with the International Year of Older Persons.

The Saskatchewan organizing committee of the International Year of Older Persons held meetings at Wanuskewin in connection with the pow wow and brought in Don Harron, television celebrity and national spokesman, to bring his unique Canadian humor to the meeting.

Harron and the International Year of Older Persons organizers were special guests during the grand entry, following veterans Howard Anderson and Henry Beaudry as they carried the eagle staffs into the ring.

Tying the IYOP to the Wanuskewin powwow was a natural fit, according to one of the organizers.

"The Aboriginal people are a people who focus a great deal on the value and contributions of their Elders," said Wes Ashwin, chair of the Saskatchewan International Year of Older Persons committee.

"And our understanding of Elder isn't exactly the same as theirs. "There's an element of guidance and wisdom - the wisdom of the ages. And we wanted to be part of that."

Ashwin said one of the things IYOP focuses on is intergenerational connections. That connection was in abundance at the pow wow as hundreds of area school children attended the pow wow and took in the Wanuskewin interpretive centre and toured the site's walking trails.

Jackie Hunt, a teacher at Fairhaven School in Saskatoon, brought her class of Grade 7 students to the pow wow. She said it brings alive the teaching the students learn in school about First Nations history.

"What they can get out of it is the reality," Hunt said. "To see the fabulous beadwork and to appreciate what a teepee ring is. You hope they get a taste of the culture."

With approximately 20 to 30 per cent of her students coming from Aboriginal backgrounds, Hunt said it's an introduction into their own culture for some of them, and a positive showcase of their roots for others.

The pow wow worked effectively to show the school children a key element of First Nations culture and values. And they were able to participate in it themselves, smiling and dancing alongside dancers like 20-year powwow veteran Ernie Poundmaker and newcomer A.J. Bonaise, both grass dancers from the Little Pine Reserve.

Other visitors included 70 English as a Second Language students from Saskatoon's Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology Kelsey Campus.

The college students were involved in their own discovery of First Nations culture as several of them participated in a powwow dance contest, with two sisters from Bosnia among the crowd favorites and eventual winners.

The 1999 version of the pow wow was a success, according to Tischa Stefanoski, director of corporate development and marketing for Wanuskewin.

In the past the annual pow wow has gone over three days, attracting 10,000 guests.

This year it was decided to hold the event only on one day, but it still attracted more than 5,000 visitors, according to the preliminary count.

"It was something different we tried, and it was successful," Stefanoski said.

For Donald Speidel, who did double-duty as chair of the pow wow committee and as co-arena manager, the end of the event brought about a welcome relief.

"It was a great event and it was good turnout," he laughed. "But I'm glad it's over now, because I worked hard."