Jingle dress dancers at the 2019 Heart of the Youth Powwow in Prince Albert. (File photo/paNOW staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Heart of the Youth

Last Friday of May to be designated Community Powwow Day in Prince Albert

Feb 23, 2021 | 2:42 PM

Despite its cancellation last spring due to the pandemic, the popular Heart of the Youth Powwow—held for the first time in 2018—continues to build momentum.

Powwow organizers presented plans for a virtual event at Monday night’s Prince Albert city council meeting. Additionally, at their request, Mayor Greg Dionne agreed to designate the last Friday of May each year as ‘Community Powwow Day’ in the city’s official calendar.

Elder Liz Settee, a member of the powwow organizing committee, told paNOW she was overjoyed with decision.

“My heart soars,” she said. “This is huge of the city. It’s huge for Truth and Reconciliation.”

Members of the Heart of the Youth Powwow organizing committee following their presentation to council. From left: Delphine Melchert, Paxton Red Sky, Aiden McInnes, Elder Liz Settee, Addison McInnes. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

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Community Powwow Day, which will coincide with the date of the annual Heart of the Youth Powwow, will be dedicated to education about the powwow and Indigenous culture. Community members will be encouraged to wear ribbon skirts and shirts, Settee said.

She explained the move also provides some stability to the event.

“We don’t have to [wonder] ‘are we going to have it next year, are we not,'” she said. “Now there’s an agreement that we will be having it every year.”

In past years the city has supported the powwow by providing Kinsmen Park—located at the “heart” of P.A. —for its use, Settee said.

Attendance at the 2019 Heart of the Youth Powwow topped 3,500 people. Settee expects 4,500 to 5,000 could turn out in 2022 when organizers plan to gather in the park again.

Powwow goes virtual

In the meantime, this spring’s powwow will be virtual.

The powwow committee is working with a local media company to film a production that will show all the elements of an actual powwow, organizer Paxton Red Sky told council.

Invitations have been sent to area schools inviting them to participate in the film, which will premiere May 28 at in-school screenings and on Youtube.

Coun. Tony Head was among several councillors who voiced their support for the event and Community Powwow Day.

“I look forward to participating on May 28 and I’m very happy we are going to proclaim that day as such because there is a lot of awareness that comes around that as well,” Head said.

Fundraising efforts to cover the cost of producing the virtual powwow are ongoing. The committee is selling calendars and an online auction is set for the end of February.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom