The Indigenous Spirits group from Churchill Community High School and Senator Myles Venne School. (submitted photo/Shane Bird)

By Derek Cornet

first annual

Round dance honouring youth promotes sobriety and healthy living

Nov 27, 2019 | 4:15 PM

A youth-led movement to bring back culture, traditions, ceremonies and language into the tri-communities is happening Friday.

The first annual Indigenous Spirits Round Dance will be held Nov. 29 at Senator Myles Venne School (SMVS) starting with a feast at 5 p.m. The round dance will then take place between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. and the gathering is open to all tri-community residents.

“Our round dance is about honouring the youth in our community,” Success Coach Shane Bird said. “It promotes sobriety and healthy living to the youth. Something we have to bring back is our old traditions and this is what the kids want and it’s coming from them.”

Bird stated the idea came from students at Churchill Community High School and SMVS. He also explained the round dance is a ceremony, which could occur for a variety of a reasons such as a memorial. It’s also an opportunity for all people living in the area to come together and dance.

The first 20 singers will also be paid and there will be giveaways, raffles, a midnight lunch, canteen and accommodations at the school for families who are travelling.

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Dion Tootoosis and Sanford Strongarm are expected to be the Masters of Ceremony, while Brendan Whitecap and Ricky McKenzie will be stickmen. Bird noted the stickmen are in charge of taking care of the singers and drummers.

“He holds sticks, so if he sees a lead singer he’d like to sing next, he’ll pass on the sticks to that lead singer and he’ll call up other singers with him to sing some songs,” Bird said.

There will be no tolerance for drugs or alcohol at the round dance and security will be on site. The dance was sponsored by the Northern Lights School Division, Lac La Ronge Indian Band Education, and Prevention and Recovery.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno