In honour of National Aboriginal Day today, a Pow Wow was part of the celebration at one of our parks in my city. The beautiful regalia worn by the dancers shone in the sun and the drummers mesmerized everyone. The MC spoke of the drum beat as being the pulse of Mother Earth and I think that is a very fitting description. No one can listen to that persistent beat without feeling its force become a part of your very being. I have been to many pow wows and I always enjoy the dancers. But my favorite part of every pow wow, and today was no different, is the Grand Entrance. Every dignitary, elder, pow wow organizer, and all the dancers enter to the beat of the drum. What struck me today – and something that I should have noticed before, but haven’t – is the powerful message in the selection of people in the Grand Entrance. In today’s Grand Entrance, along with the organizers, Chiefs, First Nations Veterans and dancers were the City Mayor, Métis Leaders, Union Leaders, and local business people. To see Pow Wow regalia, Métis sashes and business suits entering the circle, together in friendship, symbolizes how we should live together in our society. That a tradition so unique and important to First Nations people would be used to welcome people of other races into their circle is a reminder to all of us that we should honour each other’s traditions and beliefs, and that we should welcome others into our circle, even for just a little while. Appreciating each other’s culture and beliefs . . . it’s a good thing.
Monday, June 21, 2010
National Aboriginal Day
In honour of National Aboriginal Day today, a Pow Wow was part of the celebration at one of our parks in my city. The beautiful regalia worn by the dancers shone in the sun and the drummers mesmerized everyone. The MC spoke of the drum beat as being the pulse of Mother Earth and I think that is a very fitting description. No one can listen to that persistent beat without feeling its force become a part of your very being. I have been to many pow wows and I always enjoy the dancers. But my favorite part of every pow wow, and today was no different, is the Grand Entrance. Every dignitary, elder, pow wow organizer, and all the dancers enter to the beat of the drum. What struck me today – and something that I should have noticed before, but haven’t – is the powerful message in the selection of people in the Grand Entrance. In today’s Grand Entrance, along with the organizers, Chiefs, First Nations Veterans and dancers were the City Mayor, Métis Leaders, Union Leaders, and local business people. To see Pow Wow regalia, Métis sashes and business suits entering the circle, together in friendship, symbolizes how we should live together in our society. That a tradition so unique and important to First Nations people would be used to welcome people of other races into their circle is a reminder to all of us that we should honour each other’s traditions and beliefs, and that we should welcome others into our circle, even for just a little while. Appreciating each other’s culture and beliefs . . . it’s a good thing.
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