Powwow dancer Landis Roan is among those performing in the BRT6HC virtual event. (Submitted photo/WARNF Photography)

By Angela Brown

Indigenous Peoples Day activities

BRT6HC plans virtual show; WDM having powwow demonstration to celebrate

Jun 18, 2021 | 6:07 PM

Leading up to National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 battlefordsNOW is featuring Indigenous professionals, storytellers, entertainers, artists and others. Stay tuned for more throughout the week.

For more local stories celebrating National Indigenous History Month and Peoples Day click here.

Whether it’s virtual or in-person, there will be lots of activities for people to enjoy to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in the Battlefords.

Battle River Treaty 6 Health Centre (BRT6HC) is hosting a virtual event from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for a live performance being broadcast from the Dekker Centre. To see the show, people can visit the BRT6HC’s Facebook Page and click the “Like” button.

Executive director Patricia Ironstand said there will be a variety of performances, from spoken word artists and singers to powwow dancers, to enjoy.

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The venue is not available to the public due to COVID-19 protocols, but people will still be able to enjoy all the activities online instead.

Among the performers are poet Janelle “ecoaborijanelle” Pewapisconias, singers Bianca St. Martin and Leonard Fulton, as well as Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Senator Jenny Spyglass who will be dancing.

There will also be a special tribute to honour all the children who died in residential schools.

“To me this year, Indigenous Peoples Day is just so much more meaningful to celebrate Indigenous people, and to remember the children who lost their lives in residential school,” Ironstand said.

The event can also be viewed at a later date on the BRT6HC website and via Access TV channel.

Ironstand said unfortunately the BRT6HC had to cancel its pancake breakfast gathering this year due to the pandemic, but she hopes people will be able to take time to view the virtual production to celebrate the day.

Event at WDM

The Western Development Museum (WDM) in North Battleford is having powwow dance demonstrations to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day June 21.

The first session will run 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., while the second session will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held outdoors in the Heritage Village area, near where teepees are set up. There is a maximum capacity of 150 people for each session, practising social distancing between families. People can access the grounds at the gate when they arrive.

Kanaweyimik Child And Family Services Inc. is partnering with the WDM on the initiative, as part of the Indigenous Teachings program.

Kanaweyimik’s executive director Marlene Bugler said the powwow dancing demonstrations will feature various types of dancing, such as traditional, fancy and jingle, for example. The Master of Ceremonies will tell the stories behind each dance.

“We’ve tried to recruit at least one dancer from the different styles,” Bugler said.

She hopes the event helps create “more of an awareness of our culture.”

WDM North Battleford manager Joyce Smith said the museum is honoured to partner with Kanaweyimik Child And Family Services Inc. on the project.

Smith added there are other events running through the summer months this year at the WDM focusing on Indigenous culture, as part of the Teepee Teachings program.

“It’s wonderful to have Kanaweyimik Child And Family Services here,” she said. “They developed the whole program.”

The Teepee Teachings are included with people’s regular admission on regular days. Details are available at the WDM website.

On Indigenous Peoples Day, the powwow demonstration sessions are free to attend. Smith thanks the WDM’s partners and sponsors for their support to make this possible.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow