This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful event! A pow wow in Temagami, Ontario, a 2 day event of dancers and druming, singing and medicines.
Like all pow wows I've been to, this one started with grass dancers to bless the earth and will have bells on their ankles to wake up the earth. This picture I took after the grand entry.
Then it is the grand opening where all tribes come in the circle with their staff representing their clans, or their flags, like the eagle staff and Mohawk flag. We are introduced to the leaders and elders and clans. During the opening we are not allowed to take pictures so, sorry for not being able to show you.
Such a beautiful day that has been chosen for this event, this year's theme being Coming Home, we were gifted to see shall dancers, jingle dancers, Elder's doing their dance in protection for the men on their journeys.
Fun fact: Did you know that there are 365 cones on a jingle dress? It is supposed to take a whole year to make this dress. It is a lot of work and it is very sacred.
These dancers dance for healing. We can most often offer them a tobacco tie and ask them to dance for someone ill and hold them in prayer. After the dance is done they put the tobacco in the sacred fire.
Here, one man is preparing for a dance competition against 3 other men. A fierce competition it was too. This man brought power and strength to his dance and I can easily say that he was my favorite. He danced with the drum with all his heart and spirit and when it was over he was proud! His face shows every emotion that came from his hard work and that itself deserves a standing ovation.
Quite often there will be intertribal dances where everyone can dance as one. My kids never missed a chance to dance. Proud mama moment!
It was a fantastic day and I can't wait to go again. The next one is at Jocko Point in August I believe and there I will hopefully be able to see my favorite dancers, the Benson brothers. Here is a picture of one of the brothers from last year.
They are such great dancers!
Hope you enjoyed this sharing of the indigenous culture as I share with you my spiritual and cultural journey.
Miigwetch!
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Would you believe I was doing a pow wow yesterday and didn't when I saw this!!! OMG This is awesome!
Wonderful pictures!
!tip
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That's awesome!! Must have felt wonderful too 😄
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How awesome, and some great pictures! I never attended one when I was growing up back in Alberta, which I do regret. Glad you had a good time! Hope the kids enjoyed it too!
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Perhaps look to see if there are any in your region. There will always be one held somewhere.
We did have a great time, especially the kids!
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the dresses are so pretty, the weather is beautiful, the moment is very perfect. The dancing will be in 3 days, so the dancers will be camping there?
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I love your posts like this! I've never had an opportunity to attend such an event and it's very enlightening to see your pictures and read your descriptions. You and your children are so lucky to be able to go to these events together.
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Thank you!!!!
I plan to share more of what I can. I think it is important and that people would want to know and learn. I am very grateful for everything experience I have.
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Temagami is amazing, so many pure lakes and tiny islands. First nations should be more celebrated in North America, many deep rooted views, and ways of seeing life is something we can all learn from (and probably save us from ourselves). Awareness of environment/earth, each other, celebration of life, and a questioning of excess, or pointless focus on materialism.
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It is a beautiful place. I believe it should be celebrated all over this earth as not only is it culture but it's what this world, mother nature gives us. Anything and everything. Whether it's in the plains or in the ice cold, we should celebrate what we have naturally.
But I do understand what you are saying. We all need to be aware. This life we are living is all fake. What we are taught in school... It's everything they want us to believe a lot of it is lies or hidden. It's become a materialized world where technology rules and every one suffers with mental illness and cancer and blindness. Blind to the truth and what is real.
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Thank you for your support and for resteeming!! Greatly appreciated. miigwetch!
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Such a wonderful event to partake in! That connection with the earth and nature is something we should all work to cultivate within ourselves. As much as I love seeing the photos that you captured, I think it's wonderful that for some parts of the ceremony they don't allow photos. Makes it more special to just be in the moment without any distractions! I can only begin to imagine the energy that must be flowing through that place.
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Yep, I reserve a time for photos and then I put down the phone to be disconnected completely from technology.
I plan to go to another one at the end of august. Perhaps even camp out there to take advantage of the full two days there.
There is huge energy the comes to get you from within. Nothing else is like it and there is no good way of explaining how powerful it is. You gotta feel it to know it. 😊
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That looks like fun. I've been to Temagami a few times. Strange to see whales and dolphins there. I guess people travel from all over to dance and chant.
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Hey hey, small world! It's awesome to see many people come together and a pow wow is the greatest excuse 🙂
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What an amazing and colorful culture. Looks like you guys and gals had an amazing time. Thank you for sharing.
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Very beautiful indeed. It is always amazing to be at a pow wow!
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Wassaaaaaaaa 😝
That looks like a great event and lovely way to learn about the first nations. Those dresses are amazing and to think it took a year to make. One cone per day!
Your face looks a little more blurred than I remember... New makeup? 😁
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Big process right?
No worries about my face it's not in any of those pictures lol. I'm not a fan of showing my face.
My friends daughter is in those pictures and I didn't have her permission to show it yet so I blurred it, but she did some time after. Just never gotten the chance to change it.
Btw...
Wasssaaaaaaa 😝😝
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Well you're gonna have to show your face eventually 😛
Wassaaaaaaaa 😝
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You see it in my profile pic 😉
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Yea but that's an ancient picture isn't it? Haha
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Ancient??? Dude! I'm not that old!!! That's about 4 yrs ago. Not that ancient.
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Haha that's an oooold picture 😛 anything older than a year is an old picture. My profile pic included 😁
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I'm not updating. It's really hard to get a good picture that I like of myself you know... I'm really picky of what I would like to share with the world when it comes to me.
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Lovely and sacred pictures here my friend.
It seems that you guys had a blast at the pow-wow.
Blessings!
Btw. Did @janton see this post, as it's right up his alley.
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Thank you. It was very enjoyable and beautiful.
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There's a group of dancers here in San Antonio Texas that meet once a month in the parks to dance @foxyspirit. It's cool watching them. 👍👍
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Oh I bet! I think it's fascinating to see the stories shown from dancing
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Howdy foxyspirit! I'm sorry I missed the voting time on this post but I'm so far behind in steemit these days. But anyway wow, what a marvelous Pow Wow and experience! I'm always amazed at the outfits they wear!
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Hey,
No worries, it can happen with such busy lives and summer time too naturally.
I too am amazed with their regalia. Every piece is significant, every add on is important.
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It would make an interesting post just to show photos of some of the incredibly ornate ones and then explain each part and what it means, I'm clueless.
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If I go through the experience one day, it would for sure make an epic post.
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I agree foxyspirit and that day is coming I'm sure!
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