THUNDER BAY – Lakehead students and employees along with the greater Thunder Bay community were invited to the university to celebrate Indigenous culture and dance.
The Indigenous Cultural Traditions Club’s 34th annual took place at the CJ Sanders Fieldhouse at Lakehead University from March 8 to 10 featuring Rolling Thunder as the Host Drum.
The powwow started with warm-ups on Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Grand Entry took place at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a traditional feast. On Sunday, the Grand Entry took place at 12:30 p.m. with the whole powwow wrapping up at around 5 p.m.
ICTC president, Jordan Thompson-Vankoughnett said the powwow is a wonderful step forward in the path to reconciliation.
“To be able to hold this powwow here at Lakehead University, especially going on 34 years now,” he said. “It's a wonderful gathering that brings people from all across the world together. We have a lot of international students here today. We have youth all the way up to elders. It's an incredible turnout to see the diversity here at the powwow and we're so thankful that we're able to be a part of bringing this to everyone.”
A lot of international students volunteered to help out during the powwow, something that Carmela Moses, the spiritual advisor for the weekend,
“You know, with our nationality itself, with being Indigenous, we're welcoming people and to see other nations come together to try to help organize and make it run smoothly, it shows a true definition of people in society trying to come together to work together,” she said.
