By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer
June 14 and 15 marked the third annual Father’s Day Powwow, hosted by the Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society (VAHS) in Vancouver. The event was focused on honouring Indigenous “fathers, grandfathers, and sons through drum, dance, and culture.” The Peak attended the Powwow near Britannia Secondary School and spoke with VAHS executive director Carrie Humchitt of the Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk) Nation for more information.
The Powwow is about being able to “lift up the men,” Humchitt said. “They deserve to be honoured,” as well as “the murdered and missing Indigenous men and boys and Two-Spirits.” Planning for the event starts in the fall, with fundraising efforts and grants to cover costs. “We also have regalia-making workshops all the way up until the Powwow,” Humchitt explained. Regalia is traditionally worn during ceremonies and celebrations, featuring unique individual, familial, and cultural aspects. It tells a story for those who wear it, reflecting identity and creativity. Regalia may also be a distinguishing factor for different types of Powwow dances.
“Vendors come and it’s an opportunity for them to sell their arts and crafts and come together and be a part of the community. We have food vendors as well, who we’re thankful for feeding everybody here. It’s an opportunity to get Indigenous foods,” Humchitt said.
“Culture is healing for a lot of our people.” — Carrie Humchitt, Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society executive director
They also noted that the Powwow is alcohol and drug-free. “Culture is healing for a lot of our people,” Humchitt said. “We’ve had people who have taken The Red Road once they started connecting to their culture, so it really is significant in that way.” The Red Road, an organization started by Charles Robinson of the Choctaw Nation, is about “a deep commitment to living life in the best way possible,” including sobriety. “There’s intergenerational trauma from residential schools,” which Humchitt’s parents attended, and they explained that healing from this trauma is still an ongoing process.
Humchitt’s favourite part of the Powwow is the beginning, when the event begins “in a really good way.” They said, “We carry the flags, and we honour our Elders and everybody who’s here, and it’s just a good opening every time.” The phrase “‘in a good way’ is a concept used by many Indigenous Peoples to recognize work” done with “high levels of integrity, moral strength, and communal spirit.” It is a recognition that time is non-linear and cyclical — that choices have far-reaching implications.
The event featured three drum groups, with Black Lodge Singers as the main event. The group is “quite famous in Powwow circles,” Humchitt explained. “Whenever there’s a Powwow, there are other drums that come along and partake. It’s a good thing, we love it when extra drums show up because they add to it.” Along with drum and song, the Powwow centres around dance, featuring “everything from tiny tots, to Elders, chicken dance, fancy dance, grass dance — every kind of category imaginable,” they said. Each dance has its own unique history. For example, the chicken dance mimics the prairie chicken’s mating ritual, originating from the Niitsítapi (Blackfeet) Nation before becoming a pan-Indigenous dance. Some dances are competitive, with a winner chosen by judges.
“It’s just a beautiful event,” they added. “We plan on doing it every year, and we think about ways that we can improve it for next year. We’re just happy.”
