This year was the 16th annual Montreal Friendship center’s Pow Wow. “Is it possible to repossess land through celebration? We believe it is!” started off the Pow Wow program. This seemed to be the theme of the many people who came out to enjoy the festivities.
This year the location was set in old Montreal with indoor and outdoor activities. On hand was a Abenaki storyteller named Jesse Bruchac to entertain the children. Other features included Mohawk Marian Snow, who was on hand to help kids create multimedia masks and puppets, Odawa/Ojibway Celina Cada giving a hoopdancing demonstration and Mohawk Ryan Rice hosting Corn Husk doll workshops. Various native artists were on hand to demonstrate their work in basket weaving, carving and making traditional Iroquois cradle boards, making plains style moccasins and how to sculpt stone. A little bit of everything to interest the artist in all of us.
As well the rest of the things that make a Pow Wow what it is. People gathering in joy, artisans and traders selling, drumming and dancing as well as traditional foods. This years favorite was the rabbit stew. I had a second helping.
A problem one unfortunate drumming group encountered was the Canadian/U.S. border. They were slapped with a $450 entry fee. Officials at the border said that they were performing in Canada for money so they had to pay. The Wintegok Singers were shocked. They told the Canada Customs people that they were practicing their religious beliefs when they sang and the only money they would receive is an honorarium.
The honorarium was to cover gas and food costs. The border patrol was adamant on this. Phone calls to Immigration Canada met with denial of responsibility. Daniel Bordeleau, Information Officer said that they have no forms like CR#2557. Canada Customs said that it wasn’t a matter of religious practices but all groups with musical instruments are usually required to leave a deposit to ensure that they do not sell their instruments while in Canada. These “import deposits” are returned within a few weeks after proof that the musicians and their instruments returned intact to the U.S.
John Bosley, of the Wintegok Singers said that he was disappointed and outraged that Canadian borders officials don’t honor native religious practices. One of the members of the Wintegok Singers paid the Canadian entry fee and they joined in the drumming along with other drum groups. Other groups included the White Tail Singers (Ojibway/Cree from North Bay, Ontario), The Little Turtles (Algonquin from Kitegan, Quebec), Rice Lake Singers (Ojibway/Cree from Peterbourough, Ontario) and the host drum
was Masko Pirecic (Attikimek from Weymontachie, Quebec). This latest practice of Canada Customs seems to be a step back to the days in 1921 when Indian Affairs Deputy Superintendent General Duncan C. Scott wanted everyone to make sure that Indians didn’t over-indulge in dancing. He said that Native dances should be suppressed. It also was suggested that Indians be prevented from leaving their reserves to attend fairs, exhibitions, etc. It is nice to see that Canada still continues his requests to this day.
From James Bay came Dianne Reid, who joined Dan Commanda (Ojibway) as the two Masters of Ceremonies. Head dancers were Gene Blackbird (Saulteaux/Cree) and Vicki Montour (Mohawk).
All in all the friendship center showed an international smorgasbord of native talent.
