OHSWEKEN Brilliant colors and the sound of beating drums replaced the revving of engines as the Grand River Champion of Champions Pow Wow was held at Ohsweken Speedway for the first time on the weekend.
Thousands of spectators filled the stands to watch participants of all ages take part in the powwow, which attracted hundreds of dancers.
The smiles on the faces of many dancers were almost as bright as their regalia as they were able to return to live competition after a two-year COVID-19 pandemic hiatus.
“It’s awesome to be back because we haven’t been able to come together and celebrate for almost three years,” Celina Cada-Matasawagon, said. “It’s really nice to see everyone again and to celebrate and demonstrate our culture through song and dance.”
Cada-Matasawagon lives in Ottawa and is from the Sheshegwaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island. She is a world-class hoop dancer who won the Salamanca Hoop Dance and the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Hoop Dance competitions in 2004.
A body-builder, Cada-Matasawagon said fitness training is a big part of her life.
“I’m over 50 so I’ve been doing this for a very long time and for me, it’s not very exhausting,” she said. “The traveling to competitions can be tiring but it’s a lifestyle and it’s how I like to spend my summers.”
Griffin Sands, 13, of London, also competed in the powwow and he too was delighted to back dancing in front of a large audience.
“It can be tough,” Sands, who has been dancing since he was one year of age, said. “But it’s really rewarding.
“I really like hearing the cheers.”
Sand spends several months creating his carefully-crafted regalia that features an array of colors and beading.
The powwow had been held at Chiefswood Park for more than 40 years and the change in venue was prompted by a couple of factors including the growth of the powwow. It is attracting more vendors and visitors and needed more space, Charlene Bomberry, of the powwow’s organizing committee, said.
“It’s so nice to be back,” Bomberry said. “It’s wonderful to see everyone again and we’re really grateful for the support we received from Ohsweken Speedway and GSR (Glenn Styres Racing).
“They really stepped up for us and were a big part of us being able to hold the powwow this year.”
Organizers only had a couple of months to put the event together, Bomberry said.
“We were keeping a close eye on COVID-19 and it wasn’t until the end of March that we felt confident enough to go ahead,” Bomberry said. “Then, we had to find a venue.”
The speedway is a suitable location for the event but a race was held Friday night which meant organizers had to do a lot of work Saturday morning to get set up and get vendors in place. Organizers and volunteers had to hustle to get everything ready, Bomberry said, adding that next year, there won’t be a race held on the Friday night of the powwow weekend.
As well, traffic was slowed to a snail’s pace on Chiefswood Road from Highway 54 as visitors waited as long as an hour to travel from the highway to the powwow parking lot.
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