New Beginnings Pow-Wow celebration returns to Aurora

Residents welcome third annual event June 1

Yorkregion.com
May 28, 2019
Sabrina Seyidova

The wait is finally over for Aurora’s local residents as the town welcomes its’ third annual Pow-Wow festival following the success of previous years.

The New Beginnings Pow-Wow event returns June 1 to Aurora. The main focus of this year’s festivities is “Honouring our Elders.”

The Town’s longtime partner, White Pine Dancers, will host the celebration featuring traditional dancing, drumming, food and crafts.

“A Pow-Wow is a celebration of life and nation,” said event co-ordinator, Rod Nettagog, from the Henvey Inlet First Nations community.

The Pow-Wow tradition is quite old, but wasn’t legalized until the late 1970s, he added. Pow-Wows offer Indigenous people an opportunity to gather, meet, dance, sing and socialize while honouring their culture. There are dancing competitions with traditional dances, music and prizes.

“Now, people don’t need to travel far to see the event, to learn about the cultures and take beauty from it,” said Aurora’s recreation supervisor, Shelley Ware.

Aurora’s annual Pow-Wow festival started three years ago to mark Canada’s 150 anniversary.

The themes vary each year to educate the community about the Indigenous culture, Nettagog said. One of these themes was “For our Future Generations,” which happened last summer.

It is interesting to see the traditions and practices of Indigenous people by other communities, said Ware.

This year’s theme, Honouring our Elders, is unique, she added. “Elders play a huge function in Indigenous communities, leadership and history,” she said.

Elders preserve the Indigenous culture by passing down knowledge and customs, Nettagog added.

“They are not just people with grey hair, as is a common perception,” he said. “They reconnect us with our culture.”

Pow-Wow festivals happen every weekend throughout the year, Nettagog, said. During the winter months, the events are indoors and during the warmer months, the events take place outside.

The festival is an opportunity for everyone to come out and learn about other cultures, said Ware.

This year Nettagog wants to recognize and honour the elders. The theme’s uniqueness will show others who come to the event the importance of these elders to the Indigenous community, he said.

Local residents are invited to enjoy the Pow-Wow, hear the drums and participate in teaching circles held by elders, said Nettagog.

“Come out, dance and celebrate with us,” he said.

New Beginnings Pow-Wow:

• June 1, noon to 9 p.m.; Grand entry and opening ceremonies at noon; festivities at 1 p.m.; community feast at 5 p.m.; and closing ceremonies at 7 p.m.;

• Lambert Willson Park, 135 Industrial Pkwy.;

• Traditional dancing, drumming, food, elder tents and crafts; Performers will include: Bluestone drums, head male dancer Fraley Eaglespeaker and head female dancer Pam Plain.