WIKWEMIKONG—This weekend, Saturday, August 2 to Monday, August 4, marks Wikwemikong’s 54th annual cultural festival. Themed ‘Celebrating Our Nation,’ there will be special cultural experiences in addition to the powwow featuring traditional dancing and drumming.
The weekend will get underway starting with the 5th annual Miss Wikwemikong pageant at 10 am on Saturday morning.
Come out to see who will be crowned the 2014-2015 princess, winning $500, a new crown, sash and jacket.
There will be a drum roll call at 11:30 am, followed by grand entry at noon including a flag and veteran song and elder invocation.
The host drum will be Crazy Spirit from Mount Pleasant, Michigan, while head veteran will be Preston Tote-Pah-Hote of the Kiowe Tribe of Oklahoma. Master of ceremonies will be Ryan McMahon and Dennis Bowen and arena director will be David Trudeau. Head drum judge this year will be Nathan Issac, head dance judge will be Wesley Cleland and the smoke dance singer will be Adrian Harjo.
Following the grand entry on Saturday, Wikwemikong Chief Duke Peltier will give a welcoming address before opening the powwow circle to intertribal at 1 pm.
The afternoon powwow agenda will include tiny tots at 1:15 pm, a woodland special at 1:30 pm, the golden age and adult exhibition at 1:45 pm, boys and girls category (6-12-years-old) at 2:15 pm, the teens category (12-17-years-old) at 2:30 pm, the adult category (18-19-years-old) at 2:45 pm, the men’s smoke dance special (18 plus) at 3 pm, women’s smoke dance special at 3:15 pm, intertribals at 3:30 pm and a prairie chicken dance special at 4 pm. There will then be a break for dinner from 5 until 7 pm.
Grand entry will start up again at 7 pm, followed by intertribals at 7:30 pm, boys and girls and teen exhibition at 7:45 pm, golden age combined (50 plus) and adult category (18-19-years-old) at 8 pm, two step at 8:45 pm and the women’s fancy spotlight special (18 plus) hosted by 2013-2014 Princess Nathalie Restoule.
Sunday will start with drum call at 11:30 am and grand entry at noon. Intertribal will start at 1 pm, tiny tots at 1:15 pm, a Cassidi Webkamigad honouring special at 1:30 pm, boys and girls category at 2:15 pm, teens category at 2:30 pm, adult category at 3 pm, spectator dance competition at 3:15 pm, a woodland special (18 plus) at 3:30 pm, intertribal dancing at 4 pm, men’s smoke dance special (18 plus) at 4:30 pm and women’s smoke dance special at 4:45 pm. There will be a dinner break from 5 to 7 pm.
Grand entry will start at 7 pm, followed by intertribals at 7:30 pm, boys and girls category at 7:45 pm, golden age combined and adult category at 8 pm, a hand drum special at 8:30 pm, two step at 8:45 pm and men’s fancy spotlight special at 9 pm.
The fun will kick off again on Monday morning with a special ceremony to honour Our Nationhood from Chief Peltier and John Barrows at 10 am. Drum call will start at 11:30 am, followed by grand entry at noon, intertribals at 12:45 pm, tiny tots at 1 pm, tie breakers (if any) at 1:15 pm, intertribals at 1:30 pm, the prairie chicken dance special at 2 pm, men’s smoke dance special at 2:15 pm, women’s smoke dance special at 2:30 pm and intertribals at 2:45 pm. Awards will be given out at 3 pm, with the raffle draw to follow.
Throughout the weekend there will be various cultural experiences including a regalia and dance session from 11 am to 12 pm on Saturday, a presentation on ‘The Voice of Our People’ from 1 to 2 pm, a presentation on unceded territory from 2 to 3 pm and seven grandfathers crafts from 3 to 4 pm. On Sunday there will be an encore presentation of ‘The Voice of Our People’ from 1 to 2 pm, a workshop on making footprints/medicine walks from 2 to 3 pm, Seven Grandfather crafts from 3 to 4 pm, another presentation on unceded territory from 4 to 5 pm and an encore workshop on making footprints/medicine walks from 5 to 6 pm.
On Monday there will be a regalia and dance presentation from 11 am to 12 pm, ‘The Voice of Our People’ from 1 to 2 pm, ‘Honouring our Nationhood’ from 1 to 3 pm and ‘Unceded Territory’ from 2 to 3 pm.
Admission to the festivities located at the Wikwemikong Thunderbird Park will be $10 for adults, $2 for children and weekend passes for adults available for $20. Elders over 65 and children under the age of 6 are free.
Visit www.wikwemikongheritge.org for more information about this year’s powwow.
Also as part of the fun in the community there will be the third annual golf tournament at the Rainbow Ridge Golf Course in Manitowaning on Friday, August 1, with the proceeds going towards the cultural festival.
There will be a shotgun start at 11 am and a hole-in-one contest with a $10,000 prize. To register call Shenna Wassegijig at 705-859-2385.
On Friday evening Crystal Shawanda will be hosting her seventh annual Homecoming Concert at her family home at 1825A Kaboni Road in Wikwemikong.
Admission is $10 or $30 for a VIP pass. The event is bring your own chair/blankets and is open seating—first come, first pick.
New this year will be a ‘Bad to the Bone’ bike contest. Individuals with Harleys will have free admission to the event, with the baddest bike winning a $500 gift certificate for The Rock Harley Davidson of Sudbury.
In addition to headliner Crystal Shawanda, there will be a fashion show by Bruno Henry and performances from Lucas Jacko, a Johnny Cash Tribute and Wiky 5, Leland Bell, Rory Gardiner, John Roy and Crosshill Junctions, JoPo Acoustic, Waaban and even Juno award winners Digging Roots joining Ms. Shawanda for a few songs.
Digging Roots will be performing at their own concert on Saturday, August 2 at 8 pm at the Holy Cross Mission Ruins, hosted by Debajehmujig. Tickets will be $20 and available at the door.
‘Rage In A Cage’ will rock the Wikwemikong Thunderdome Sunday night with the Wikwemikong Wrestling Championships at 9 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
Contact Wikwemikong Tourism for tickets at 705-859-3477.
It will be a busy and exciting cultural weekend celebration in Wikwemikong starting this Friday, so be sure to get out and be a part of the fun!
