The 22nd Annual Avi Kwa Ame Pow Wow brought Native cultures from across the United States and Canada together to socialize, to honor their traditions and to participate in and watch bird-singing. Other Pow Wow Details Special Event Hotel Rate Vendor Tables Available. Location: Legendary Waters Resort and Casino 37600 Onigamiing Drive Bayfield, WI 54814 Contact 715-779-9463 Located 3 miles North of Bayfield WI on Highway 13. Casino, 800-226-8478, general@legendarywaters.com Drums & Vendors, Demetri Morris, 800-226-8478 ext 9463.
Re:Pow Wow Grounds
RAMA – Chief and Council are pleased to announce that Rama First Nation plans to establish permanent outdoor Pow Wow and Ceremonial Grounds in the community. This project was identified as a key cultural priority in the 2005-2006 Ten Year Community Vision report, an extensive survey produced with input from the entire membership. The Community Cultural Advisory Circle (CCAC) and Pow Wow committees, having reviewed their priorities and budget for the next few years, made this recommendation to leadership and are pleased to be moving forward with this long held community goal at this time.
Rama First Nation has enjoyed hosting the Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving Pow Wows for many years but weather issues dictated that these celebrations be held indoor in our MASK arena.
Rama is looking towards holding an outdoor event in our proposed new permanent grounds. In order to begin the transition towards an August Pow Wow event, we will be holding a final Thanksgiving Pow Wow on October 9th
and 10th this year. The Mothers Day Pow Wow will not be held in 2010. Our Culture Department, Pow Wow Committee and Community Cultural Advisory Circle will begin to focus on planning for the new venue. We look forward to welcoming our many visitors to our new permanent grounds.
Chief and Council would like to acknowledge the many community members who attended meetings over this past year and provided input into this decision. Recommendations made to leadership were arrived at after much deliberation by the Pow Wow Committee and the Community Cultural Advisory Circle.
A meeting of the Pow Wow Committee is planned for May 12th, Community Room, MASK. at 12.00 noon. Everyone is welcome. Lunch will be provided.
Written by Sherry Brown, Communications Coordinator for ANCFSAO
The 7th Annual Youth-in-Care Camp kicked off atYMCA Geneva Park on August 27th and ran until August 29th,2019. It was the first time the Association of Native Child and Family ServicesAgencies of Ontario (ANCFSAO) hosted the camp, and it was an extraordinaryexperience.
The event, intended for ages 9-13, brought together 63Indigenous kids in care from 14 Ontario agencies (5 Indigenous Child Well-BeingAgencies and 9 non-Indigenous agencies) for three days of connecting, learning,and engaging in culturally relevant activities. It began with an openingceremony featuring a drum circle by Phil Jones and Dion Syrette and anintroduction from ANCFSAO’s Elder-in-Residence, Danette Restoule.
Kids then disappeared into classrooms to create soapstonesculptures, learn lacrosse techniques, and master Okichitaw in ANCFSAO staffmember Stephan Borau’s Indigenous martial arts class. Tim McGregor taught hisgroup how to make rattles by stitching together wet hides and filling them withsand, and the classroom was shockingly quiet as the kids became absorbed intheir creations.
Perry McLeod-Shabogesic taught a classroom full of kids hisfluid drawing techniques as Jackie Labonte and Oliver Nobosin set up a sweatlodge by the lake with a group of little helpers. Three quiet sisters stayedclose to one another as they tied strips of red, yellow, white, and black fabricto the intersecting saplings of the structure, eventually stepping back tosmile at their work.
In the evening, kids, chaperones, and staff gathered arounda fire for spooky stories and marshmallows, and the fire was lit again just afew hours later for the first sunrise ceremony. As the sun cast a goldenreflection on the lake, Elders Ernest Beck and Gertie Beaucage offered wisdomand led the group in a water ceremony with the assistance of Liam and Olivia Restoule,a young brother and sister who came to the camp to assist in ceremonies.
That morning, those gathered for the ceremony were treatedto a group of children singing a song with their backs turned to their audienceto hide their nerves, as well as a throat-singing performance from one childwhose enthusiasm inspired everyone, campers and staff alike.
The recurring joke that the kids enjoyed over the course ofthe camp was calling, “Taxi!” every time a Geneva Park golf cart drove past ordelivered hot dogs and marshmallows to the campers gathered around the fire.
When the activities of the second day, which included making dreamcatchers and learning to exchange greetings in Ojibway, were finished, a mini pow-wow filled the camp with the sounds of drums and harmonizing voices. Hoop dancer Nimkii Osawamick inspired applause several times with his astounding storytelling through dance, and his mother Liz Osawamick captivated the young audience with a jingle dress dance. One little girl won a spot dance and proudly told everyone who would listen about her enormous $20 win. Phil and Dion invited a group of eager youths to join them in drumming and singing, and they were complemented by a second drumming group, Mixed Tribe, from the Peterborough area.
By the third day, when Phil moved a drum-making class to theauditorium because it was too popular, and when two days of lacrosse lessonsfrom Cam Bomberry culminated in an epic final game, there was a noticeablydifferent energy to the entire group than when the event began. One little girlstood out: she arrived at the registration desk silent and too shy to make eyecontact, and by lunch on the second day was chatting with other children andeven resource people and staff, excitedly running from one activity to the nextwith confidence and a brilliant smile.
Casino Rama Pow Wow 2019 Pala
The giveaway ceremony during the closing ceremony on thelast day was many of the kids’ first, and campers were sent off with a miigwetchcircle dance. As chaperones and children packed their bags and filed into carsand buses, ready to head home, excited squeals and laughter filled Geneva Park.
The camp was a success thanks to an overwhelmingly wonderfulgroup of kids always eager to engage and learn, as well as outstanding resourcepeople, behind-the-scenes staff members from ANCFSAO, and the amazing staff atYMCA Geneva Park. Thanks also go to OACAS for their sponsorship and assistance.
Casino Rama Pow Wow 2019 Water
Indigenous kids from across Ontario came together to learnfrom one another, engage with their culture (some of them for the first time),and went home with beautiful drums, soapstone bears, dreamcatchers, paintings,rattles, and a new-found obsession with lacrosse and Okichitaw.
Casino Rama Pow Wow 2019 Grass Dancers Video
A second camp will be hosted by ANCFSAO at Geneva Park from November 1st to the 3rd for youth ages 13-17. Stay tuned for details.