Arts, culture and education — visitors to this weekend’s Rama Powwow got to experience it all.
The 33rd annual event was held at John Snake Memorial Multipurpose Grounds on Saturday and Sunday.
Nahum Diabo, of Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Quebec, was back at Rama for his third year.
“I love it. It’s all about my culture,” he said.
Diabo began singing 10 years ago, but he took up dancing at powwows only two years ago.
“I was always the kid dancing without my regalia,” he said.
He was in full regalia this weekend, but it wasn’t a painless process to get to that point. It took him five years to get his regalia ready, with its intricate beadwork, feather placement and colour scheme.
It was worth it, he said, as he gets to share his heritage with curious guests.
“I hope they see what our culture is all about,” Diabo said. “We’re very inviting people, so it’s nice to share that with other nations, other cultures.”
Ali St. Germain lives in Rama and attends the powwow every year with her husband and children.
“It’s a tradition,” she said. “We like the dancing, singing and drumming.”
Her husband is a band member in Rama, and St. Germain said it’s “very important” to expose her kids to the culture.
“You want them to carry on the traditions and and learn the culture,” she said.
Visitors also got to browse arts and crafts and enjoy a variety of Indigenous food.
