The Heart of the Youth Community Powwow is taking place today in Prince Albert.
Youth from across the province are in attendance, along with youth from multiple school divisions in the city.
The powwow kicked off at 10 this morning with First Nations and community leaders at the grand entry.
“I’m so honored to be here, seeing all the young dancers and all the schools from the city participating,” said Prince Albert Grand Council, Grand Chief, Brian Hardlotte.
Last year, the powwow removed gender-based dance categories, making it a more welcoming and safe space for two-spirit individuals. Some of the dance categories include fancy shawl, jingle, and traditional.
The atmosphere today was like stepping into a kaleidoscope, surrounded by vibrant colors, culture, and tradition, with every beat of the drum filling the air with joy.
“Youth from the community and outside of the community are able to come and dance at this pow wow whether they have regalia or not, so it’s just an opportunity for youth to be connected with culture, community, and belonging,” said Co-Organizer and Communities Building Youth Futures committee member, Nicole Matheis.
This is the 8th annual Heart of the Youth Community Powwow, and it has grown in size every year. Last year, there were around 4000 people in attendance, and it is estimated that roughly the same number of people are at the powwow today.
“We couldn’t do it without our sponsors, we couldn’t do it without the committee, and we couldn’t do it without the youth, so seeing it all come together on the last Friday of every May is just incredible,” explained Matheis.
Some of the sponsors that made the powwow possible this year include TD Bank, Lake Country Co-op, CBYFPA, and MBC. The Northern Lights Casino was another big sponsor and provided over 4000 hot dogs for the youth.
The powwow is taking place at Kinsmen Park in Prince Albert.