WHITEFISH RIVER—Whitefish River First Nation has had a rough year losing 29 community members to the Spirit World since March. The traditional powwow was first moved to a new temporary location and then postponed. The community has announced a truncated powwow to a single day version to take place on September 21.
Ogimaa Rodney Nahwegahbow confirmed the new date and time for the powwow during the annual Lafarge Fish Fry. As to the new location on the soccer fields below Shawanosowe School instead of Sunshine Alley below Dreamer’s Rock, Ogimaa Nahwegahbow noted that the new location is currently temporary as the community considers all the options.
One of the main bonuses of the new location is that it is much more easily accessible for youth and elders to reach. The Sunshine Alley location, though idyllic, suffered from challenging parking, as anyone who has attended can attest. Those challenges could be especially daunting for those with mobility issues.
This year’s powwow will follow the unveiling of the community’s new subdivision—a development that will provide much needed new housing lots in a location that minimally impacts sacred medicine harvesting locations and greenspaces.
