Delaware Nation celebrates its culture in annual powwow

MORAVIANTOWN – Indigenous culture was proudly on display during the 51st Delaware Nation Competition Powwow.

A large crowd gathered Sept. 2 for the grand entry to launch the two-day weekend event that featured many categories of dancing, along with a drumming competition.

For the second straight year, 29-year-old Miranda Cryle-Huff was honored to be the head female dancer at the powwow.

“It’s awesome,” she said “It’s my home community, so I love representing them.”

Cryle Huff said it was gratifying to see such a large crowd at the event, including many non-Indigenous people.

“Everybody is welcome,” she said. “We keep it open for everyone to come and enjoy and to get to know our culture and celebrate with us.

“It’s a good feeling, too,” she added.

For participants, the powwow is not only a good time to share with family and friends, but also to connect to their heritage.

Katelyn Peters, 24, from Muncee-Delaware Nation, has only recently started dancing, working out a desire she had since childhood.

“I’ve always wanted to dance since I was a little girl, but I never had the courage until I was about 20,” she said.

Now that she is dancing, Peters said, “I feel like I’m myself now and I feel like I’m dancing for myself, for my family and for the people.”

No stranger to the Delaware Nation Powwow, however, she’s been attending it since she was a little girl. “I love the Moraviantown powwow, it’s one of my favourites,” Peters said.

Peters said she likes that her hometown competition is one of two Lenape powwows, or those involving Delaware nations, along with the one held in Muncee-Delaware.

Nine-year-old Londoner Jasper Jamieson, 9, who comes from Beausoleil First Nation, on a group of islands on the southern tip of Georgian Bay, already has plenty of experience competing in powwows, despite his young age.

Asked what he likes about it, Jasper, who’s danced most of his life, said, “my culture.”

Already a skilled dancer, he chalks that up to the fact “I’m in a lot of powwows.”

Sandy Williams, 43, of Walpole Island First Nation, was the event’s male head dancer. He’s taken part in powwows for about 20 years, crediting family members who “encouraged me to keep dancing.”

Williams said one of the many benefits of traditional dancing is “keeping healthy.”