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magazine / ja04 / indepth
Rhythm of nations
Inside Canada's capital powwow
Every year people from all over North America — and sometimes the world — come to the Odawa celebrations in Ottawa
Story and photos by Asha Jhamandas
At one point during the Odawa
Native Friendship Centre's 28th annual powwow
in May, an eagle feather dropped to the ground
of the dance arena. "When an eagle feather falls
to the ground, it means that one of our veterans
has passed over to the spirit world," says Jim
Johnson, a counsellor at Corrections Canada
and the powwow's master of ceremonies. As he
calls a drummer to sing the pickup song, four
veterans dance around the feather in the Ojibwa
tradition and one picks it up with an eagle
fan. "Whenever an eagle feather falls down,
this special ceremony becomes part of the powwow,
but we hope this doesn't happen often," said
Johnson.
Twenty-thousand people attend the Odawa powwow
on Corkstown Road in Ottawa every year. People
mainly come from across Canada and the United
States, and some travel from as far away as Japan.
"I came because I had seen the First Nations
people on television, and wanted to see them and
their costumes for myself," says Shoko Taniguchi,
who is currently visiting Ottawa to learn English. "I
have a degree in international culture and have
always been interested in historical peoples."
The Grand Entry
As is customary, the festivities begin with the
Grand Entry. Participants in traditional regalia
line up outside the dance arena, wearing bright
and colourful beaded moccasins, appliquéd and
embroidered outfits, and eagle-feathered headdresses
and bustles. After the drumming starts, they enter
one by one to bless the powwow grounds and perform
a grass dance. Respected veterans lead the group
and carries many flags — among them the eagle
flag and staff.
"Up until 1962 when we became citizens of Canada,
we couldn't practice our way of life openly," says
Johnson. "This weekend is important because it
is a return to our culture."
Ojibwa prayer
The two elders chosen for this year's powwow
are Jim Eagle of Manitoba who gave his prayers
in Ojibwa, and Linda Zaluska, an employment
officer at the Odawa Native Friendship Centre
in Ottawa. Before the veteran song and the public
dancing, they pray for the well-being of everyone
present and for the success of the powwow.
Zaluska reminds her listeners how the power of
prayer can grow in numbers, "especially when we
get together and have the help of the spirits
to gain a clear vision of the future," she says.
"We all need to slow down, get connected and
stay connected," says Zaluska. She compares the
experience of finding oneself to that of Big Eagle
who eventually found his way and started to soar.
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