Portage la Prairie makes history hosting powwow alongside 2 nearby First Nations

Don Smoke grew up playing hockey in southern Manitoba, but never thought he’d one day have the opportunity to be part of showcasing Indigenous culture inside his hometown city’s largest arena.

The city of Portage la Prairie joined with Long Plain First Nation and Dakota Plains First Nation, which Smoke is the chief of, to host the Prairie Unity Competition Powwow at Stride Place.

The vibrant three-day event, featuring regalia, traditional dancing and powerful drumming groups, started Friday.

"It’s exciting," Smoke said Saturday. "I grew up in Portage la Prairie. I played a lot of hockey and it's kind of neat to be here at a powwow."

The event — believed to be the first powwow held on city property — was part of all three stakeholders’ joint work through the Community Economic Development Initiative.

The enterprise aims to improve the economic prosperity of First Nations and nearby municipalities through joint community planning and initiatives.

Discussions surrounding the possibility of a powwow between the three groups began about a year ago, with the event’s committee forming only six months ago.

With so much rich Indigenous history ingrained in the area, Smoke said the significance of having a powwow cannot be understated.

"We thought it would be a good idea to have this in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation," he said.

Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox agreed.

"For us, as a city and council, reconciliation is very important to us. We live in a community and we serve a community that has a rich history of Indigenous neighbors and Indigenous citizens," she said.

"The more that we can learn and collaborate and do things together, the more we're going to move into a better future."

Knox also believes the right leadership is in place in her municipality, as well as in Dakota Plains and Long Plain, to help foster continued growth between the three partners.

Ralph Francis is from Long Plain and served as the powwow’s chairman.

He appreciates the fact that people from U.S. states including Colorado, Montana and Oklahoma, and from British Columbia to Ontario, came to Portage la Prairie for the weekend, especially those who had never previously seen a powwow.

"I hope people will have a better understanding of what powwows are, how they bring people together, and how we can all gather and work together in unity to make the common goal happen," Francis said.

He said they were expecting about 500 people to attend and take part in the powwow.

"We probably would have had more, but after so many months of planning, we faced two snowstorms within a couple of days," Francis said.

Travelling from afar

Brennan Potack made the trek to Portage la Prairie from the Lac Courte Oreilles reserve in Hayward, Wis.

Potack has been to Manitoba once before, but the member of the Ho-Chunk Station drumming group said he made the decision to head north after finding out about the powwow on social media.

He’s grateful for the sacrifices his ancestors made, and that he has the chance to immerse himself in Indigenous culture.

"We are still here. There's a lot of people thinking that we're not," Potack said.

"There's a lot of people thinking that we live in teepees, that we have Buffalo robes on … but we're still here and we have a voice, and we matter."

Sheldon Kakaygeesick didn’t travel from quite as far as Potack, but the longtime grass dancer wasn’t going to miss a chance to attend the powwow despite the snowy weather.

Originally from Warroad, Minn., Kakaygeesick now calls Fort Frances, Ont., and Buffalo Point First Nation home. His mother also has ties to Sagkeeng First Nation, which lies along the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg.

A dancer for nearly 40 years, he says the opportunity to dance means everything to him.

"It’s our way of life, it's hard to explain. Just like a Christian person would go to church every Sunday whether it’s good weather or bad weather. Same difference with our ways of life, just our celebration of life," Kakaygeesick said.

"It's a beautiful feeling, you know, that's why I've come. I hope they see a lot of love because that’s what this is all about."