More than 600 Indigenous dancers, drummers and singers participated at the 2019 Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Spirit of our Nations Cultural Celebration and Powwow.
Indigenous languages was the theme of this year’s event which took place at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon from Friday until Sunday.
“Our languages are very diverse within Saskatchewan,” FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt said. “We want to make sure that all our languages are protected and all of our languages are preserved. That’s what the theme was. I think it’s important because it’s a big part of our identity.”
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) were honoured on Saturday.
“We want to constantly remember those who’ve gone missing and those who’ve been murdered,” Pratt said. “It continues to happen. We want to stop the systemic oppression and racism. A lot of education is needed in the Prairie provinces.”
Elilah Napachit from the Little Pine First Nation was named Miss FSIN 2019.
(PHOTO: Elilah Napachit. Photo by Jeannie Pewapisconias.)
The event is now the largest powwow in Saskatchewan.
“Attendance was definitely up from last year,” Pratt added. “It’s successful. I think it’s only going to grow and get larger. It would be great to see it packed to the roof. That’s what our goal is and I believe we’ll get there.”
(Photo of a young dancer at the 2019 FSIN Spirit of our Nations Cultural Celebration and Powwow by Brendan Mayer.)