U
of T Pow Wow A Huge Success
By:
Christine Smith (McFarlane)
Toronto,
ON- The University of Toronto held their first pow wow in 20 years on March 11,
2017 at the Clara Benson Building Sports Gym on U of T’s downtown St. George
Campus. It was called “Honouring Our Students” Pow Wow and Indigenous Festival and
by the turnout of over 600 people, the pow wow was a huge success.
Lead
dancers were students Buck Neshkiwe, a proud member of Wikwemikong Unceded
First Nation who began Grass Dancing in traditional pow wows two years ago,
when his cousin gifted him with grass dance regalia, and Nichole Leveck, a
proud Wyandot/ Scottish woman who started dancing in 2007 at the Native
Canadian Centre (NCCT) dance classes and
has been dancing ever since.
With
many different Indigenous nations represented at the University of Toronto, the
committee presented many of these nations through their pow wow programming.
This meant that there was Aztec dancing, Inuit drumming and throat singing,
hoop dancing and various other dances that truly got everyone involved. The
great energy was palpable throughout the day.
For full story, please check Anishinabek News soon!
