FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION, ON. - Each year, thousands of people gather atop Mount McKay to take part in one of the grandest displays of Indigenous pride, the Fort William First Nation powwow.
It isn't exactly known when the first pow-wow was held(one elder said over 50 years ago), but it's an annual tradition. One that's celebrated throughout the week and attracts campers to stay overnight on Mount McKay.
Dazzlingly colourful regalias, gigantic booms from the drums, the smell of traditional Indigenous medicines being burned; all were showcased on a hot sunny day atop Mount McKay on Saturday to honour the culture. But as Gail Bannon, the cultural and mountain co-ordinator for Fort William First Nation said, there's one aspect that serves a higher purpose than just celebrating.
"There's an aspect to powwows which I'm not going to talk that much about, but it's the ceremony part. It's a healing for a lot of people,"
Judy Desmoulin, like thousands of others, took part in the dancing, singing, and storytelling.
She told the story of one of the fondest moments of her grandson's Daniel. He was playing hockey for the first time and scored a goal on a no-look pass from his teammate, who told Judy this story.
"He told me he was skating up the ice, he went through everybody, and Daniel kept up with him! He kept him at the corner of his eye and tricked the goalie to pass to Daniel who scored."
"That was his first goal," she said smiling.
Her grandson ended up taking his own life at the age of 15 a few months later.
Desmoulin was told of the story by a teammate of her grandson's three weeks following his death.
"The community has been struggling a lot. Many of his cousins and classmates," she said.
She said the healing walk was a vision an edler gave to her.
That vision: "Sometimes we have to give up our physical selves so our spiritual selves can become stronger."
"A lot of our own people don't even know they are why the way they are. I think this walk lets everybody understand a little bit more."
Desmoulin was joined by many others taking part in the walk at one point in the ceremony.
"This year I wanted to do something, so I attached (the FWFN) flag to his hockey stick."
Walking around the pow-wow circle on top of Mount McKay, Desmoulin fought back tears as she was filled with emotions.
"It's certainly is a coping mechanism," she said. "Throughout this week everybody learns more about our personal histories, and about each other."
