Slave Lake hosts a fantastic three-day cultural extravaganza

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Good organization, good community participation, great music and all-round great Indian Summer weather, made the Slave Lake Cultural Days a success. Alex Courtoriell, the executive director of Slave Lake Friendship Centre, who sponsored the event said he was more than pleased with the turnout for the event.

Participants from the ages of two years old, a powwow dancer from Driftpile, to 87-year old Mooshum King Barnie Bottle and his wife Mellany took part in the cultural day held Sept. 18 ? 20 at the Slave Lake Friendship Centre.

Barnie and Mellany Bottle are the longest living couple in Slave Lake, Barnie said he met this beautiful woman back in 1921 and still feels the same about her even thought she spends a lot of time at bingo.

Guest master of ceremonies and morningman for the Native Perspective, Ray Fox kept the audience going with some good one liners and stories of his late grandfather.

Day one consisted of pageants. This year's princess, Rita Bellrose of Driftpile had a very impressive speech on the travelling she had done while dancing in different powwows across North America, and lessons she has learned from listening to the Elders not only about dancing but about life.

The Little Brave Contest for six years and under, saw Blair Auger, 6, tell Ray Fox in Cree that he lives with his Kookum and Mooshum and goes fishing with his Mooshum.

Earlier in the day, the Friendship Centre held a feast for elementary students in Slave Lake.

Day two started with a pancake breakfast and at noon a jam session got underway. Slave Lake is not short of home grown talent. The Slave Lake Blue Grass Indians and young 7-year-old fiddler, Scott Lawrence impressed everyone. The jam session was covered live by local radio station SKWA. A relatively new powwow group from Slave Lake started the powwow off which included powwow groups from Kinuso and Driftpile. That was followed up by hoop dancers, Jerome Youngchief Jr. and Sr. of Kehewin displaying their talents. The Red River Jig Contest followed and Mable and her niece, Biddy Courtoriell, performed a blue grass version of the jig dressed up like hillbillies.

Later that evening, the fiddling competitions took place with Henry Roy of Falher taking the honors. Leonard Lawrence took the Novelty Contest with his version of Orange Blossom Special. Oldest fiddler, John Sinclair, 63, and the youngest, Scott Lawrence, 7, also won awards. A dance featuring Edmonton young rising stars, the Fourth Generation played to a packed house.

Day three, was the team events which was won by C.D.L. Express and Slave Lake Friendship Centre placing second. The event included a running course, a pie eating contest and tug-of-war. Ricey Gullion held on to his reign as Bull of the Woods with that competition consisting of power log sawing, individual log sawing and using an axe.