Ojibway Powwow
Grand
portage Powwow, Grand Portage, MN August, 1994
Photos by James M. Fortier
Like many other American Indian Tribes across the
United States and Canada, today's Ojibway people come together
periodically throughout the year to celebrate the survival of their
customs and culture. These gatherings, called "powwows," are much more
than showcases for dancers and drum groups. The powwow is an opportunity
to visit with friends and relatives from other reservations, to share
common experiences and stories, to exchange news and information and to
continue the Ojibway Oral Tradition through spoken words--stories,
legends, history.
At powwows
we gather in a circle. In a circle no one is higher than anyone else,
everyone is equal. Our dancers move in a circle, searching the ground
for the footprints of our ancestors in order to follow their ways. The
drum beats out the solemn rhythm of all creation. It is the sound we
remember from before we were born. It is the rhythm of our mothers'
heartbeat. The drums summon up a memory that is common to us all.
Powwow means gathering, or celebration.
Traditionally, families had to scatter far and wide to be able to find
enough game to feed themselves throughout the long and harsh Canadian
winter. The powwow took place each year when families and friends were
reunited to dance, drum, feast and give thanks to the Creator. Each
community had its own time for gathering - Spring, Summer, Winter or
Fall. At Curve Lake we still hold and annual powwow, bringing together
Natives and non-Natives, to honour our ancestors and uphold this sacred
tradition.
Powwow Tips
