Chris Clegg
South Peace News
Valerie Willier can always be seen with a smile on her face, but last week her smile was just a bit bigger after receiving some very good news.
Willier, Indigenous liaison for Alberta Health Services in High Prairie, received news she was successful in her $5,000 grant application to hold the Honouring Our Elders Mini-Powwow later this summer. She released the news at the High Prairie Interagency meeting April 2.
“The grant was for $5,000 and it was from the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund,” she says.
The powwow was last held in 2023, and not held last year due to lack of funding.
“The grant will pay for the drummers and dancers,” says Willier.
“We give the dancers an honourarium for dancing. Since we we’ll have a little bit of extra money this year, we may have a small giveaway at the end of the powwow.”
The date for the powwow will be announced later. Willier says a date was not set with grant money not known; however, now that money has been secured the powwow committee can meet, choose a date and make final plans for the powwow.
In 2023, about 20 dancers attended the celebration.