Annual Cultural Festival remained undaunted by Sunday’s torrential downpours
WIKWEMIKONG— Wikwemikong Unceded Territory’s annual competition powwow, aka 55th Annual Cultural Festival, is one of the most anticipated events on the powwow trail, attracting top talent in many categories from across the continent with lucrative prizes such as the $10,000 top prize for the drum competition.
When threatened by rain, the dancing often moves indoors to the Wikwemikong Arena, but with radar showing that the rain and thunderstorms were going to pass, the organizers decided to brave it out by delaying the Sunday grand entry for several hours.
Although the dance competitions provide most of the pageantry and suspense of a competition powwow, there was still plenty to see and do at Thunderbird Park while waiting for the rain to abate.
The drums were kept busy under the arbours, as was emcee Chris (the Pleasant) Pheasant, whose steady banter kept any hint of the doldrums at bay and many of the vendors came prepared for inclement weather, setting up tarpaulins and covers for their wares. The cultural teachings and artistic displays were already well undercover, safe from sun or rain under tents.
photos by Michael Erskine
In the end, the organizer’s confidence was well-placed as the rain abated and the lightning passed over the grounds making way for the grand entry and the completion of the competitive dance events.
The results from the Wikwemikong Annual Cultural Festival competitions are as follows.
In the Golden Age Category Women’s Combined (50-plus) Katrina Fisher of the Plains Cree won first place, Vicki Montour of the Mohawks came second, Cate Pitawanakwat of the Ojibwe came third and Donna Lightening of the Whitefish River First Nation came fourth.
In the Golden Age Category Men’s Combined (50-plus) Lloyd Shawongonabe of the Odawa came first, Charles Belisle of the St.Croix First Nation came second, Bruce Smoke of the Ojibwe came third and Mike Dasher of the Aninisinabe came fourth.
In the Adult Category (18-49) Women’s Traditional Kristol Able of the Ojibway came first, Cassie Thomas of the Seneca Nation came second, Krystal Bigsky of the Plains Cree came third and Kaitlyn Douglas of the Mohawk came fourth.
photo by Bruno Henry
In the Adult Category (18-49) Women’s Jingle Alyssa Buck of the Ojibwe and Odawa came first, Sophia Pheasant of the Pottawatomi and Odawa came second, Stephanie Nordwall of Maidu/Pic River came third and Jasmine Phillips of the Oneida came fourth.
In the Adult Category (18-49) Woman’s Fancy Shawl Valerie Parker of the Towanda Seneca came first, Beedoskah Stonefish of the Odawa/Chippewa/Delaware/Pottawatomi came second, Deanne Hopfield of the Ojibway came third and Nikki Shawana of the Odawa came fourth.
In the Adult Category (18-49) Men’s Traditional Adrian Klein of the Oneida/Ojibwe came first, Leland Red Eagle of the Okala Lakota came second, Bryden Kiwenzie of the Ojibwe came third and Delbert Jonathan of the Mohawk came fourth.
In the Adult Category (18-49) Men’s Grass Adam Nordwall of the Shoshone/Chippewa/Navajo came first, Geronimo Tootoosis of the Plains Cree came second, John Hopfield of the Ojibway/Waasauksing came third and Dillan Guitar of the Mohawk Turtle Clan came fourth.
photo by Bruno Henry
In the Adult Category (18-49) Men’s Fancy Marquel Crowford of the Ojibwe-Dakota came first, Tyrone Shawana of the Ojibwe/Dakota came second, Paskwa Lighting of the Samson Cree Nation came third and DJ White of the Pottawatomi/Ojibwe/Odawa came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Girls’ Traditional Nichole Nordwall of the Shoshone/ Chippewa/Navajo came first, Maddy Douglas of the Six Nations came second, Angeline Kimewon of the Odawa Nation came third and Cheyenne White of the Oneida came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Girls’ Jingle AJ Douglas of the Mohawk came first, Seven Big Mountain of the Plains Cree/Mohawk came second, Samantha Miller of the Mohawk came third and Naomi Fox-Plant of the Anishinabe/Salish/Kootenai came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Girls’ Fancy Shawl Alaska Salter of the Ojibwe/Oneida/Cayuga came first, Sarah McGregor of the Ojibway came second, Letsitsion-ni Pompana of the Mohawk/Odawa came third and Wasi Lighting of the Samson Cree Nation came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Boys’ Traditional Noodin Niimebin Shawanda of the Ojibwe/Cree came first, Jaden Parker of the Tonawanda Seneca came second, Delbert McLean of the Tuscorora came third and Preston (Buddy) Tone Pah Hote III of the Kiowa/Oneida came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Boys’ Grass Miisheen-Meegwin-Shawanda of the Odawa/Cree came first, Xylou Kelty of the Ojibwe/Pawnee/Arapaho came second, Miles Sutherland of the Oji-Cree came third and Destin Smoke of the Bird Trail Sioux came fourth.
In the In the Teen Category (13-17) Boys’ Fancy Ascension Harjo of the Mohawk/Kickapoo came first, Tyler Dasher of the Anishinabe came second, River White of the Oneida came third and Owyn Assinewai of Wikwemikong came fourth.
In the Children’s Category (6-12) Girls’ Traditional Jaylene Sands of the Dakota/Ojibway came first, Autumn Peltier came second, Clarity Smoke came third and Katryna Debassige came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Girls’ Jingle Nicole Dashner of the Ojibway/Anishinabe won first, Marie Snake of the Dakota/Ojibwe came second, Niibishens Trudeau of Ojibway/Wikwemikong came third and Acadia Solomon of Sagamok came fourth.
photo by Bruno Henry
In the Teen Category (13-17) Girls’ Fancy Shawl Avery Sutherland of the Ojibway/Cree came first, Nyssa Solomon of Sagamok came second, Paungbiisohn Trudeau of Ojibway/Wikwemikong came third and Angelina Buck of Yakama came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Boys’ Traditional River Buck of Yakama came first, Michael Kagige of Wikwemikong won second, Avery Ense of Wikwemikong won third and Julius Sinopole of Aamjiwnaag won fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Boys’ Grass Bodie Nordwall of the Shoshone/Chippewa/Navajo came first, Tavynn Bluff-Trudeau of Wikwemikong came second, Brent Couchie of the Oji-Cree came came third and Drako Schvyler of the Oneida came fourth.
In the Teen Category (13-17) Boys’ Fancy, Justice Smith of the Chippewa of the Thames came first, Wiingashk Shawana of the Wikwemikong/Ojibwe came second, Tacoma Salter of the Ojibwe/Oneida/Cayuga came third and Waskwaabiish Jonathon of the Ojibway/Mohawk came fourth.
In the coveted drum competition, it was White Tail Cree who took first place, Charging Horse took second place, Snake Island took third, High Ridge took second and Genaabaajingura came fifth.
In the various Special’s Categories, Men’s Spotlight was won by Marquel Crawford of the Ojibwe/Dakota; Women’s Spotlight was won by Valerie Parker of the Tonawanda Seneca; while in the Woodland Special Adam Nordwall of the Shoshone/Chippewa/Navajo took first place, Adrian Klein of the Oneida took second and Charles Belisle of St. Croix took third. In the Men’s Smoke Dance Special Delbert Jonathan of the Mohawk took first, Frazer Sundown of the Oneida took second and Charles Belisle of St. Croix took third. In the Women’s Smoke Dance Special Valerie Parker of the Tonawanda/Seneca took first, Jennifer Martin of the Mohawk took second and Nikki Shawana of the Anishinabe took third.
