Celebrating sobriety at New Year’s powwow

Almost 500 attendees piled into the Mohawk Bingo this New Year’s Eve, choosing to ring in 2026 surrounded by community members and guests who chose to celebrate sobriety on the last day of the year.

The event was the third of its kind organized by Don Barnaby – 20 vendors came out to sell their wares, and attendees travelled from other communities to take part in dancing and drumming.

“There was so much love and support, and gratitude as well that we do this for the community,” Barnaby said. “I just wanted to provide a safe space for our youth and families to attend together and make good memories.”

Barnaby was supported throughout the planning of the event by Karoniawaks Norton, as well as by his wife, Candia Flynn Barnaby, and Jennifer Burke, who welcomed attendees with tickets and prizes.

He was also assisted by members of the Red Road Recovery Group, a talking circle that Barnaby facilitates weekly to discuss addiction. Those members showed up with their families at the event, moving hundreds of chairs and heavy tables to create an arena for drums and dancers.

Barnaby felt the support more than ever this year.

“I became very ill during the event, and our group really stepped up and helped with anything that needed to be done,” he said.

The event was also supported by Kahnawà:ke Shakotiia’takéhnhas Community Services (KSCS), which sponsored the event, with team leader of secondary prevention Rebecca D’Amico and her prevention team stepping up to make the event run as smoothly as possible.

Prizes were provided by community organizations like Legendz, Get N Go Gas, and Lotus and Sage, with fresh hot food prepared on site by Berrylicious.

Lance Delisle, who emceed the event, said it was special to see so many people choose to spend their New Year’s Eve supporting sobriety.

“Everyone who was there could bring something to the circle, like their dancing, their dinging, their medicine, their energy, it’s pretty incredible,” he said.

Delisle himself has been sober for 28 years and said he’s happy to see community events like this support future generations of Kahnawa’kehró:non who may choose to be sober or who may want to learn more about sobriety – he said he’s seeing a shift in drinking culture in the community.

“Now I’m seeing such a decline that even the ones who do drink aren’t drinking the same way, they’re drinking more responsibly, and it’s becoming a very different environment,” Delisle said. “Things have changed and it’s fantastic to see that.”

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