Tiny Abegweit hosts popular powwow

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The drummers and dancers of the Abegweit First Nation on Lennox Island are hard at work practicing for their third annual powwow scheduled for Aug. 22 to 24.

"It's getting bigger every year," said Christine Bernard, one of the organizers of the Prince Edward Island event.

"Last year we had people from all over the Maritime provinces, and this year we've already had responses and enquiries from the U.S.A. and many locations in the rest of Canada," she said.

With only 300 residents, the entire community volunteers to help at the event. No fewer than three drum groups are busy preparing for the powwow, one made up of men, another comprised of several youth, and a women's drum group, of which Bernard is a member.

"We use hand drums which we make ourselves, perpetuating our culture," she said. "We work closely with the Elders who help us learn the songs of the past, and our regular Wednesday practices usually include learning something new."

Lennox Island is located a half-hour's drive from Summerside, P.E.I.

"Visitors will find our Mi'kmaq traditional regalia in the Eastern provinces much different from that of Prairie or West Coast First Nations," said Bernard. "The designs are more representative of the Eastern woodland culture, with flowers and leaves in the beadwork in a variety of designs." Materials used range from walrus and sealskin to caribou and moose hides.

The people on Lennox Island enjoy a unique relationship with the waters of Malpeque Bay.

"We have been here for 10,000 years, and have a spiritual attachment to this place which all Canadians can appreciate," states a plaque outside the cultural centre there. Visitors can arrange for walks along nature trails, or take to the scenic waters of Malpeque Bay for a jet-boat tour. Longer kayak adventures, paddling around uninhabited islands, are enjoyed by visitors and local people alike.

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The Eskasoni First Nation, located about 50 kilometres from Sydney, N. S., hosts one of the largest powwows in the Atlantic provinces. The 3,200 residents began the modern version of their powwow in the early 1990s, when they embarked on a serious revival of their culture. As the largest Native community in Atlantic Canada, they recognized that they were in an excellent position to revive the Aboriginal traditions.

Visitors who might not be able to make it to the June 20 to 23 event this year might want to plan a visit to Eskasoni next year, when a living village and an interpretive centre will open.

Traditionally dressed Mi'kmaq will tan hides, build birchbark canoes and harvest crops. The interpretive centre will tell the stories of the first peoples of the area. A restaurant will serve traditional and regional foods, such as eel, lobster and clams. A smaller version of the centre will be operating this summer.

Visitors can enjoy Mi'kmaq singing and dancing, go for a walk along nature trails, or embark on guided canoe trips lasting from one to four days.

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New Brunswick celebrates First Nations culture as well, with eight powwows running between June 20 and Sept. 15, and four annual festivals, including a trout derby. The Fredericton Friendship Centre also hosts a cultural event in September.

Newfoundland and Labrador have a rich Aboriginal heritage with four Native groups. The Inuit, the Innu-formerly known as the Montagnais-Naskapi-the Mi'kmaq, and the Metis people all celebrate their cultures and traditions.

The Conne River First Nation will host its annual powwow on July 5, 6 and 7 this year. Gerard Jeddore, who serves on the organizing committee, notes that folks come from all over the world to attend their annual event.

"It's a wonderful time to share with tourists and local folks alike and pass on our Mi'kmaq culture," he said. Conne River is a two-hour drive from Grand Falls.

Boyd's Cove, located along the north coast of the province on route 340, is the home of the Beothuk Interpretation Centre. An archaeological site allows isitors to view the circles of family dwellings, dating from about 1660 to 1720 AD. The cultural history of the Beothuk, who numbered about 2,000 before European contact and who are now extinct, is documented in the visitors centre.

Another must-visit cultural site is the Maritime Archaic Indian Historic Site located near Rocky Harbour in Gros Morne National Park on Newfoundland's north peninsula. The ancient lifestyle of first peoples there has been reconstructed, based on bone, antler and ivory implements that have been unearthed.

"This site dates back to about 5,500 years ago," said Millie Spence, site supervisor. "These folks relied heavily on maritime resources for their livelihood, but we know they also hunted land mammals as well."

Hunting weapons are displayed alongside sewing implements, with some needles having eyes as fine as 0.5 mm, indicating the use of hides to fashion warm leggings, shirts, jackets, boots, and mitts. Traces of one garment is adorned with small shells, and has a hooded attachment, not unlike that of a parka. The decoration on the clothing suggests that the designs were not purely ornamental, but had deep spiritual significance.

The visitor's centre also captures the history of the Aboriginal people who came after the Maritime Archaic Indians.

"The paleo-eskimos differed greatly, both physically and linguistically, from the earlier residents, and eventually absorbed them. They lasted from about 2,800 to 1,300 years ago, but eventually their presence was lost from the archaeological record too," she said.

There is a lot of interest in the origins of the Indigenous peoples of Eastern Canada, said Spence. Her centre welcomes large numbers of people every year to view the past, while numerous powwows and other events celebrate the traditions of today.

"Culture is alive and well in the Atlantic provinces."