McGill takes powwow indoors 

The annual McGill University Powwow was a hit last Friday, especially with Kahnawa’kehró:non who showed up to dance, vend, and share in the celebration.

“It’s been really great,” said Kelsey Deer, who was selling her handmade bags with her brand KEL Tech Gear at the powwow.

Deer said that this year was her third time applying to vend at the powwow, and she was excited to finally be able to share her crafts, which are all made at home in Kahnawake, with attendees.

“I always love selling a bag and seeing it off to a new home, it’s always nice when people don’t think I made it,” Deer said. “It’s just awesome.”

The powwow took place indoors this year at the Tomlinson Fieldhouse, a change from the usual location on McGill’s Lower Field, which is currently closed due to construction. Despite the change, turnout was still good, with hundreds of people watching and participating in the intertribals.

At each end of the fieldhouse, audience members gathered to watch dancers, and on one side of the track dancers rested between categories. On the other side, vendors and information booths lined the track, including Sharing Our Stories, who shared a booth with THE EASTERN DOOR and distributed newspapers and booklets at the event.

Jenni Makahnouk, who is Ojibwe, was one of the vendors in attendance, with her beadwork business Big Auntie Earrings. It was her first powwow as a vendor, having previously volunteered during her time at McGill as a student.

“I love it. I usually just make earrings and give them away to my friends, but everyone really encouraged me to vend this year, so I decided to do it,” she said. “I love powwows. I’m always here buying tons of earrings myself and tons of wares. I love seeing people’s designs and I love seeing everybody’s different nations. It’s so fun for me.”

There was a particularly strong showing of dancers from Kahnawake, including the Deer Family Dancers and Kahentísa’s Alfred, who recently competed in the Miss Indigenous Canada competition.

Kahnawa’kehró:non Laila McComber, 13, was also dancing, and was happy that her grade eight teacher, Luke Welton, came out to support her. She’s been sharing powwow dance with fellow students at St George’s, which has been an exciting experience.

“At first, it was kind of awkward, but then it felt good, because I got to show them stuff that they didn’t know,” she said.

She was happy that there were so many Kahnawa’kehró:non dancing at Friday’s event.

“I was a bit nervous, I didn’t want to mess up in front of them all,” she said. “But it was really nice.”

Welton said he was proud to see his student dance.

“It’s been really inspiring to see how excited she was about the fact that she got to showcase her dancing, it’s just really, really cool,” he said. “I think it’s great that this is an event that people are excited about. The turnout is great, and this is just such a community event.”

Grand Entry started around noon, with emceeing from Lance Delisle and Marie-Celine Charron. Kyana Kingbird and MC Snow took on head dancer duties, with Ka’nahsohon Kevin Deer as head elder and Ray Deer as head veteran. Jordan Whiteeye was the arena director, and four drum groups were in attendance: the Red Tail Spirit Singers, Ottawa River, Spirit Wind, and Spirit Wolf.

“This is what we do as Indigenous people. We come together. The people that are here travel from far and wide, from local communities and from even farther, because they love this way of life, they come together to celebrate and visit,” said Celeste Pedri-Space, McGill’s associate provost of Indigenous initiatives, who is Ojibwe.

“We want to come together to support vendors and support Indigenous businesses, because that’s what powwow is all about.”

Pedri-Spade said she was delighted that turnout was still high despite the change of location.

“I think it’s been great even though it’s been different, we had to find this alternative venue because we just didn’t want to cancel it,” she said.

This year was the 23rd edition of the event, and next year, it’s expected that the powwow will return to its outdoor location in the centre of campus.

This article was originally published in print on September 27 in issue 33.39 of The Eastern Door.

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