Photo of the Grand Entry by the dancers / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
BY: Danielle Dufour
Urban Treaty Day kicked off Wednesday at the Gathering Place in Regina. The event included many activities for families. There were competitions throughout the day, singers, dancers, drummers, vendors, a community BBQ and fireworks to end the night.
There were so many volunteers and people contributing to this event.
Photo of: Carli Medicine-Rope dancing the ladies fancy dance. / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
Carli Medicine-Rope, a 10-year-old from Carry the Kettle First Nations, was one of the lady’s fancy dancers performing at the event.
Her mom taught her how to dance.
“My mom, she was a really good one (dancer) back then, like really good,” said Medicine-Rope.
“These were my mom’s old outfits, when she was my age,” said Medicine-Rope. “The shawl was my grandmothers.”
Her regalia includes beaded eagles that are meaningful to her.
“When I’m dancing, I move my shawl, and when I move my shawl, I glide like an eagle and a butterfly,” said Medicine-Rope.
Photo of all dancers and drummers / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
Phyllis Littletent was the master of ceremony for the Grand Entrance.
“I love to talk about the culture,” said Littletent. “You have to be very proud where you come from. You see, a long time ago, we were not allowed to express, we weren’t allowed to share culture, song, dancing, language.”
“That was a dark time for our people. Now today, our kohkums and mushoms they’re all healing, they’re living through us,” said Littletent.
Photo of: Cheri Dubois pressing messages onto a hoodie / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
Cheri Dubois from Pasqua First Nation is the owner of Pass the Message Custom Design and Apparel where she makes customer t-shirts on-site where you pick your own design and she makes it while you wait.
She got into this business five years ago as part of her recovery journey.
“I had a seven-year battle with crystal meth,” said Dubois. “I find healing in creating stuff for people, just sharing the gift of creation and sobriety.”
Dubois recalled about the days she was lost in addiction.
“I felt so disconnected from who I was so to be able to be here, to be sober minded, to make things, it’s just a reminder like anything’s possible,” said Dubois. “We’re resilient people. It’s a time of healing and reconnecting with creator and remembering who we are, that we’re created for a purpose, and to share that with others.”
Photo of: Jesse Kaiswatum and her beaded creations / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
Jesse Kaiswatum from Piapot First Nations was also one of the venders at the event.
“I mostly focus on beadwork, beaded earrings,” said Kaiswatum.
She recently started working with porcupine quills and learning how to dye and trim them to create different styles.
Initially taught by her mom, Kaiswatum said she really started beading again during COVID.
“I needed new pow wow regalia because I am a dancer,” said Kaiswatum.
To be able to participate in this event, she said, “If feels free, like welcoming. It feels like we’re being honoured or recognized. To be able to celebrate with the community.”
She noted many of the people attending are non-Indigenous.
“That’s also a really good feeling, good to see, because that’s what we want,” said Kaiswatum. “To encourage more people to come experience our culture and to see our people. That we’re still here, we’re proud and loud, happy and overjoyed.”
Photo of: The free community supper where people were lined up around the block to attend / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
Have listen to the interviews that Danielle Dufour has collected below: