The Heart of the Youth Pow Wow has become a tradition in Prince Albert since it began in 2018.
The organizers recently hosted a Sponsorship Appreciation Lunch to recognize their organizations and volunteers who support the event, which packs Kinsmen Park each May.
The pow wow is an inclusive gathering that provides youth in Prince Albert and the surrounding communities with an opportunity to engage in the powwow tradition without the pressures of competition.
Alex Powalinsky, a member of the Heart of the Youth Pow Wow committee, said there are many parts that make it an important event for Prince Albert.
“I think at the foundation of it all is providing a safe space for all youth to come together, build relationships with one another, themselves, their own identities, to be able to celebrate and learn about pow wow culture and Indigenous culture in such a safe and affirming space, and also to be able to watch the intercultural sharing that happens in the intergenerational sharing too.”
Powalinsky explained that the aim of the pow wow is to make it an accepting, affirming and belonging space for everyone.
“That includes people who are gender diverse, that includes people of various cultures, that includes people who are just first getting introduced to pow wow culture.”
A pow wow can be intimidating to people if they have not received those teachings or grown up in the culture.
“This provides an avenue for people to get to experience that and live it in a really judgment-free space where they’re supported by the whole community,” she said.
Elder Liz Settee, one of the founders of the event, has stepped away from the committee and the lunch also paid tribute to her. Powalinsky called her ‘Kokum Liz’ and said Settee will always be welcome at the event.
“I don’t think you could force Liz to stay away,” Powalinsky said. “She loves it so much. This is her baby. It’s important to honour her.”
Powalinsky said that since becoming involved in 2019 one of Settee’s founding principles was to have youth leading the event.
“She always created space for youth and I think that now we’ve done a really good job of building up our committee with people of all ages and from different backgrounds and that’s allowing her the chance to step back and to be in the role,” Powalinsky said.
Powalinsky noted that it was important to honour Settee because she constantly gives to the community and asks nothing in return.
“Her answer is always ‘yes. How can I do that for you?’ And so this is our chance to really acknowledge and honour everything she’s taught us and what she’s given our community (while) also honouring and committing to carrying that legacy forward,” Powalinsky said.
In prior interviews, Settee said the Heart of the Youth was created to be an inclusive event. They have now removed gender identifiers from dances, so they were simply shawl, traditional, Jingle or any other type of dance. Settee said this was because everyone is welcome in the circle and has gifts and talents.
The event was also about honouring sponsors and Powalinsky noted that the event was community-led.
“It’s amazing, year after year at the start of the planning, we’re always worried about money and are we going to get what we need and the community always pulls through. This is an important part of reciprocity and giving back, having these sponsors contributing to our community in that way.”
Along with food and speeches, the Sponsorship Appreciation Lunch had videos to showcase the 2025 event. Powalinsky said it helps gives sponsors an idea of what they are supporting.
“It can kind of be abstract sometimes thinking about where your money’s going and so these opportunities are important for us to really be able to highlight that impact and touch the heart.”
An Intertribal dance was the first at the Heart of the Youth Community Pow Wow in Kinsmen Park.
Dancers danced during the Grand Entry at the Heart of the Youth Community Pow Wow in Kinsmen Park.
The Pow Wow also brings people together from different backgrounds and cultures as a starting point.
“Then that helps people build a relationship, and then we hope that it will continue on into their lives, go to other pow wows, go to other Indigenous events. Sometimes it just takes that person extending the hand, and that’s what we hope this pow wow does, is reaching out to the broader community to invite them in,” Powalinsky said.
Before the interview Powalinsky had a conversation with another founding committee member Delphine Melchert.
“She said that this powwow and watching the youth engage with each other, it’s like the antidote to the negative stuff that we see in our headlines and in our communities and on social media. Being able to actually be in these spaces and watch these relationships forming in real time really gives us all a lot of hope for the future of our youth,” Powalinsky said.
The Heart of the Youth Sponsorship Appreciation Lunch was on Sept. 12 and took place at My Place Bistro in the Second Floor Meeting Room.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
