WHITEFISH RIVER FN—The 29th annual Whitefish River First Nation (WRFN) (Wawaskinaga) traditional powwow was delayed this year due to challenges in the community, but the one-day event held on Saturday, September 21 proved to be a great success.
This year’s powwow theme was ‘Living Our Way of Life’ and was held at the soccer fields below Shawanosowe School and the weather, though threatening, held steady through the day for the dancers and onlookers.
A special event at this year’s was the welcoming and honouring of families back to the community. Co-emcee Marti Pitawanakwat introduced the Roger Finch family to the community as the descendants of Ray McGregor and a welcome song was played as they danced around the arena.
WRFN Ogimaa Rodney Nahwegahbow welcomed everyone to his community on behalf of chief and council, noting that the date had to be pushed back to the one-day, “but that doesn’t make the event any less significant for our community. So, we really thank you for coming out.”
“I want to thank our drums, our singers from near and far, and I want to acknowledge our community members, not only from our community, our elders, but people I’ve met in my journeys over the past year,” he said. “Sometimes I didn’t recognize them but they recognized me. I want to acknowledge not only all our community members, but all our First Nations. They are so awesome to be able to come here and celebrate this event.”
“Stay close to your family, support your family, bring them out to good cultural events like this,” said Ogimaa Nahwegahbow, after noting the challenges the community has faced in the past few years. “Our people have been doing this for thousands of years so let’s keep up the practice and enjoy today’s event.”
This year’s master of ceremonies were Dan Fox and Marti Pitawanakwat, head dancers were Little Creek Singers and co-hosts were Chi-Giiziz. Head dancers were Athena Migwanabe and Wassnoden Recollet. The proceedings took place under the watchful eye of arena director Sunset Sagutch.
Head Elder Sue Manitowabi delivered a prayer and invocation to begin the day.
Visitors and community members alike were treated to a great selection of vendors, despite the late entry of Wawaskinaga on the powwow trail.
June Corbiere was Crowned as Miss Wawaskinaga, Phoebe Fox was crowned Junior Miss Wawaskinaga and Haisley Jacko was crowned as Lil Miss Wawaskinaga. This year’s pageant was sponsored by Anastasia Cywink and her family in memory of her sister Sonya, who is among the murdered in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ms. Cywink held a contest with the contestants asking them the question of what they would do should someone try to take them. The answers were varied and reflected the ages of the contestants—but the key for Ms. Cywink was to have the oshkiniigikweg (young women) think about how to keep themselves safe.
