By Bryan Eneas

Powwow keeps youth on the right path: dancer

Jun 30, 2016 | 7:23 AM

The competition powwow circuit stretches all across North America, giving dancers, drummers and singers many opportunities to display their talents.

Sturgeon Lake First Nation hosts one stop of many in Saskatchewan. People from across Canada came out yesterday, June 29, to show their stuff to the judges and crowds on hand. Beadwork, feather and leather work flashed in the bright sunlight as dancers of all ages competed to win cash prizes for top dancer in their respective category.

Alvin Nicotine has been dancing powwow for 15 years, and competes in the “golden age” category for dancers over 50 years old. He credits dance with keeping him on the straight and narrow.

“Lately I’ve been on the road quite a bit. I just came from Ottawa and Quebec. I did my travels and I earned my keep on the road, learned that respect, followed that red road,” Nicotine said, “(The) alcohol and drug free lifestyle. I’m a grandfather, a young grandfather, and I try to teach my kids and grandkids the road that I followed… It just shows you there’s more to life than trying to drink and party.”

Nicotine said he attended his first powwow at the age of five. His brothers were singers, but he never started dancing until he was older. He said before he was able to perform, he had to overcome his shyness.

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“I said ‘that’s enough, I’m going to go out there no matter what…’ I just forced myself to break the fear. I got more comfortable (with it) and now I’m on the road,” Nicotine said.

While he isn’t dancing, Nicotine is a security guard to pay the bills. He takes time off work in late June to the end of August to run his circuit. Because there are so many options for travel, he has total freedom to choose where he dances.

He believed powwow is a great way for First Nations people to reconnect with their culture, and powwow to keep youth on the right path.

“Our young people are lost, they need something to fall back to stay away from the streets. (Get) into the powwows, the chicken dances, all the ceremonies we have. You’ve just got to peruse it, to look for it… We’ve got to get back to our way of life, the way of our elders,” Nicotine said. “I’ll never be a perfect guy, but I know every day I wake up I’m sober, I’m drug free.”

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @BryanEneas