The Selo Festival Site was full of celebration, dancing, and life as MVSD celebrated not just their graduates, but all of their students in a transitional phase of their education.
Just before the Grand Entry, Powwow Planning Committee member Jade Erlendson said it's good to see all of their long hours of planning paying off in a big way.
"It feels so good, and this is our 13th Annual Graduation Powwow but it's the first time we've done it at the Selo Ukrainia site, so having all our neigbouring communities and celebrating out here really is a good representation of reconciliation, again of the community-based work," said Erlendson.
Though on paper it's a Graduation Powwow, this year's theme is Niigaani Miikana - The Road Forward. Erlendson said that theme helps to show that they want to celebrate all of their students in transitional phases of education, whether it's graduation, or moving up from kindergarten.
"We did things a little different this year with out grads, we're honouring all students transitioning in education," said Erlendson.
The Grand Entry was full of Grass Dancers, Elders, Eagle Staff bearers, and Flag bearers. There were several different drum circles playing during the Entry and the dances after. Teegan Delorme is one of MVSD's Powwow Instructors. She said this Powwow especially is a great way to have not just First Nations people celebrate their students: it's a gathering place for people from all walks of life to celebrate.
"It's a time that we're allowing everyone to get together and gather to dance and celebrate our culture, our traditions, our regalia, our creativity. It's a time where we can celebrate who we are as Indigenous people...when I was teaching Powwow with our students, we had all different types of backgrounds coming to join in, and just being able to share our different cultures with other people, it's a huge thing," said Delorme.
This year's Powwow took a lot of planning and a lot of collaboration to pull off, and it's been a great success in celebrating students.
