Saskatchewan's Summer Pow Wows

I have to admit that I've seen a few Pow Wows as a child but not many as an adult. Yet summer in Saskatchewan means a smorgasboard of Pow Wows throughout the province. I'd forgotten how rich an experience one of these native festivals can be. At a recent course I was reminded of this by one man who stated that he organized his summer vacations according to the Pow Wow schedule. Well, I was intrigued. And as luck would have it a Pow Wow was held in nearby Sakimay First Nation, just south of Crooked Lake in Saskatchewan. There were raffles, food - plenty of food, singing, chanting, dancing and judges - and drumming. It's the drumming that many of us, especially those of us unfamiliar with the cultural nuances, associate with Pow Wows. Dancing, drumming, singing and costumes were judged throughout the day. The costumes were amazing, intricately sewed leather with fringes, beads, bells, embroidery, feathers, tiny details that were impossible to fathom as they swept by in a whirl of color and motion.

The best description I have of a Pow Wow is that it is a native get together highlighted by traditional song and dance.

But there's an added benefit, Pow Wows are a fantastic opportunity to see Saskatchewan. You

can literally spend your summer going from one community to another. And for some native families that's what they do.

So what is a Pow Wow really? Check it out, read for yourself, some of the culture of the earliest settlers of North America:

Pow Wows Explained

Pow wows are a big thing and a lot of fun even for the casual observer.

Calendar of Upcoming Pow Wows

New experiences are sometimes right on your doorstep.

Ryshia

From the Dust

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