THUNDER BAY — Many from in and out of town flocked to the CLE Coliseum Building for the Family Day Powwow’s third year.
The free and packed house event featured sacred pipe ceremonies, an Indigenous craft fair, grand entry, a feast and giveaways.
Josias Jonathan Fiddler, a local grass dancer, is originally from Sandy Lake First Nation and now resides in Thunder Bay. He said that when he dances, he heals because it brings him back to what and who he is.
“I’ve danced grass dance all my life because that’s what my late grandfather taught me and he was from Lake of the Woods, Kenora area,” said Fiddler.
“And when I was a kid, ever since I could walk, I remember my grandparents took me all throughout the country. Like all over Northern Ontario, Manitoba (and) Alberta, so I grew up with that and for me, my grass dance is what I saw when I was growing up and it’s evolved into a healing dance.”
As a single father of two, he added, he is now trying his best as a parent to show his kids, grandkids and people, in general, the good way of life he was thankful to be passed on to him.
“I dance here for the people. I dance for my kids,” said Fiddler.
Growing up dancing, Fiddler said he became very aware of all the dancing styles, from the traditional men’s Grass Woodland style and Chicken Dancers to the traditional women’s Jingle Dress and Fancy Shawl.
“They’re all magnificent dancers. They show a style that they made, based on what they’ve been taught from other people: the people that taught them,” said Fiddler.
While he really respects all the dance categories and styles, he added he really admires and gives all his respect to all the jingle dress dancers throughout North America because the dance — performed by his mother and late grandmother — is a healing dance, not only for the woman but for everybody.
“It’s a great thing to expand, dance and bring awareness to healing because every one of those dancers that we’re going to see today, they’re all healing,” said Fiddler.
“They’re on their journey to whatever path they’re on to heal and it might be for themselves, it might be for their kids, might be for their parents, it could be for anybody, so they’re all healing out there. They’re all dancing for their own reasons and for a one day event like this it’s a great thing.”
He said he is really happy to have more of these events and it is a great thing that it is coming around more often in Northern Ontario.
David Simard, the powwow’s local coordinator, explained that the event originally started when a volunteer group began For the Love of It. This Family Day event later became a powwow when the city got involved.
“We’re able to showcase different kinds of vendors now, whereas before, we only had a certain group,” said Simard.
“Now we’ll be a little bit more dynamic in what we’re able to showcase with the vendors, as well as with the dancers and the singers. We have quite a variety of different kinds of styles of singers and dancers now.”
With some youth as head dancers and bringing much to the powwow with their energy, he added they were also really excited to invite young people to take part.
"It's not just First Nation people, Indigenous people, it's open to everyone to come and learn," said Simard.
“There are opportunities to share in the songs and the dances, as well as we have elders and spiritual advisors that are here to help bring some stories and even the young people dancing, some of them are teaching some of our other friends and family here and other people to learn how to dance and have some fun."
Having a full house yet again after moving from the Heritage Building and the Victoria Inn before that, Simard said they are really looking forward to getting a bigger space to move the powwow and expanding some more.
