‘The heartbeat of Mother Earth:’ Spring Celebration Powwow draws large crowd

Thousands were at the Brandt Centre in Regina to witness one of the largest and longest-running powwows in the nation.

The Spring Celebration Powwow was in full effect over the weekend, drawing people from all across the continent.

“We always think about healing (for one another) and dancing for someone that can’t dance,” said Dwayne Thomas of Chitek Lake.

He drove from Lloydminster to Regina to dance for the two-day event.

“We like to make new friends as we along the powwow trail,” he said.

Thomas has been attending the spring powwow for the past five to seven years, with the exception of the event’s hiatus during the pandemic.

“I just got into dancing and I’m loving it,” said Ivan Isaac from the Ochapowace First Nation.

Isaac was brimming with excitement because even though he had attended the event for years as a spectator, Saturday was his first time dancing.

He said he has been preparing for months for this moment.

Isaac stressed how important gatherings like this are for strengthening community ties.

“I just think for this, we just want to keep our culture alive, especially in the urban centres,” Isaac said.

“There’s a lot of hurt (and) a lot of addictions out there. We want to keep our culture together. We want to try to revitalize our culture. The more the merrier.”

Isaac said he was very happy to see friends and family at the powwow that he wasn’t able to see during the pandemic.

Laniece Asapace from the Kawacatoose First Nation has been dancing since she could walk.

She said her whole family dances and that she was taken to events like the Spring Celebration Powwow since she was a baby.

“A powwow is like healing and the drums are like the heartbeat of Mother Earth,” Asapace said. “For like three years we weren’t able to dance and everything, so it’s great that we are able to do it again.”

Asapace said it was very important to share this aspect of Indigenous culture.

“Through colonization and genocide, (the powwow shows) how resilient we are as Indigenous people,” Asapace said.

Tony Bellegard from the Little Black Bear First Nation has also been dancing since he could walk.

“It’s like my fifth or sixth time here, I’ve been coming here since I was a little boy,” Bellegard said. “Culture’s a really big thing in my life, so seeing people get into makes me happy. It’s healing.”

Bellegard was proud to say he was performing with his brothers as the rest of his family looked on.

For Rosemary Agecoutay from the Piapot First Nation, dancing has been a way for her to reconnect to her culture.

She lives in Regina and has attended the Spring Celebration for years. But over the past few years she’s begun to perform as well.

“Watching it is like enjoying the people, and dancing is more spiritual to me,” Agecoutay said. “I don’t usually compete. I usually just come here to pray for my people and my family.”