Indigenous culture was celebrated at the 10th anniversary of the annual High Prairie Traditional Pow Wow held May 3 at the Sports Palace in High Prairie. Wearing colourful regalia, people of all ages participated in the dancing. Several hundred people travelled from all through Alberta and Saskatchewan for the event that was first held May 23, 2015. Drummers and singers set the beat to the event. Besides the powwow, there was ethnic food and arts and crafts, and schools from several school divisions in northern Alberta participated in the annual High Prairie Regional Youth Hand Games Tournament at the Gordon Buchanan Recreation Centre. The tournament started at the powwow in 2016.
Eva Bearhead, of Wabamum Lake, dances in the teen girls’ jingle dance.Jocelyn Goodswimmer, of Sturgeon Lake, left, and Cara Thompson, of Beaver Lake, dance in the teen girls’ shawl dance.Dressed in spectacular and colourful regalia, Alyson Scott, of Grande Prairie, dances in the teen girls’ shawl dance.Patrick Heavenfire, of Sunchild First Nation, dances in the men’s Golden Age Division.Two golden age women, Marlene Cardinal, of Sucker Creek, second from left, and Verna Wittigo, of High Prairie, join in an inter-tribal dance.Two men dance in the grand entry. Left-right, are Dave Matililpi, of Grimshaw, left, and Will Lambert, of Fort Vermilion.The colourful grand entry in the afternoon was led by Kevin Buffalo, of Slave Lake, left, and Peter Brule, of Frog Lake, AB. Both carry an eagle staff to kick off the powwow.Three young children wear colourful regalia at the powwow. Left-right, are Koa Calahasen, 7, of Sturgeon Lake, AB, Alesia R. Calliou, 8, of Alexis Nakota and Roman S. Calliou, 7, of Sioux Nation.
