Sturgeon Lake First Nation held their annual competition powwow from July 31 to August 2, which featured drumming and singing contests, dancing contests, dancing specials, and special visitors from across North America.
“It’s just so important for people to know that it is a part of who we are, and this is a part of the way we live,” said Stacey Ermine, Powwow President, Powwow Vendor Contact and Cultural Coordinator for Sturgeon Lake First Nation Community Prevention.
The preparation for the annual celebration began taking place long before the event. Numerous planning meetings, renovation of the arbour’s roof, redesign and repaint of the announcer’s stand, grass cutting, fencing, creating signage all took place weeks before the powwow.
The community of Sturgeon Lake also offered their own tabulation service for the dancing contest section of the powwow, system creation, spreadsheets, dancer registration, entering and counting contest points were all run by members of the community.
There was also a sweat approximately a week before the celebration, where community members came together to pray to ensure that the event ran smoothly.
The drumming winners of last year’s powwow, Fort Peck Sioux from the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana, returned as the host drum for this year’s powwow.
“When the winner wins, we offer them tobacco and ask them to come back and be the host drum the following year. They honoured that tobacco offering from last year, and were able to make it up here and spend the weekend with us, so that was fabulous. (They’re) an amazing drum group,” said Ermine.
This year’s powwow featured 3 different singing contests, contemporary style, straight style, and women’s backup singing. The champion for the contemporary contest was The Crew, and Rocking Horse was awarded the straight style singing champion, with the ladies from Fort Peck Sioux claiming the victory for this year’s women’s backup singing contest.
When the winners were awarded their prize on Sunday night, drum champions were invited to bring their drums to the middle of the arbour to have a sing-off.
“They had to have a sing-off because we could only have one host drum next year,” Ermine explained.
A visiting elder who is known as a famous singer and drummer was asked to judge the competition, who chose Rocking Horse as the overall drumming contest winner.
Each morning of the powwow also began with a pipe ceremony in the ceremonial tipi. The first day of the celebration started with the annual Princess Pageant, with previous Princesses across age groups stepping down to honour the new Princesses, along with the Little Warrior returning for his title.
Friday night started off with the Sturgeon Lake Community Initiation Special, where members of the community are invited to be initiated into the Powwow Circle. Ermine said there were about 20-25 dancers who were initiated this year, and that the special is open to all ages of members from tiny tots to golden age.
Sturgeon Lake First Nation Community Prevention hosted two specials on Friday night, a Junior Boys Chicken Special, and a Teen Girls Traditional Special.
On Saturday night, Sturgeon Lake First Nation Powwow Committee hosted two specials, a 18+ Women’s Jingle Special, and a 18+ Men’s Chicken Special. TLE Law hosted a 18+ Men’s Grass Special.
Sundays specials consisted of a Golden Age Special for Men and Women, and Junior Men’s Fancy Special hosted by Chief and Council, and a Junior Women’s Fancy Special hosted by Sturgeon Lake First Nation Child and Family Services.
The Golden Age Special was put on for men’s and women’s dancers aged 50 years or older. Chief and Council wanted to honour and acknowledge the Golden Age dancers to commemorate the 150 years anniversary of the signing of Treaty Six.
“They have been here the longest, and some of them might have family members who were a part of that signing treaty,” Ermine said.
SLFN also hosted their annual community giveaway special on Sunday.
“At the end of our powwow, we always acknowledge and give thanks to all our visitors who come and choose to spend time with us at our celebration,” said Ermine.
There were also Aztec, Mayan, and Quecha visitors at the powwow on Friday and Saturday. The Aztec and Mayan visitors from Southern Mexico, and Quechan people from the Andes Mountains in Peru were honoured during the Grand Entries and gave performances on Saturday afternoon.
“To be present and to witness that, we had people from all around the world in our little community of Sturgeon Lake First Nation. It was truly an honour, and I just feel so grateful and blessed to have been able to be a part in that,” expressed Ermine.
“It’s always a great thing to meet new people, to see old faces you haven’t seen in a long time. If it’s only once a year we see each other, if it’s the powwow, then perfect.”
Ermine said that both she and the Chief of SFLN have mentioned that they feel lonely once everyone from the powwow has left, and she finds herself watching videos from the weekend celebration.
“It’s a way of life for us, and it’s a connectedness that brings people together in a good, positive, healthy way. It’s just a beautiful way of life, and it’s important to keep that going and to share that history and knowledge with younger ones and the ones who aren’t even here yet,” said Ermine.
“We’re going to keep passing that on to the future generations, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again next year. It’s always a really good time.”
