Algonquins of Pikwakanagan are preparing for another big pow wow.
The event takes place at the cultural grounds in Pikwakanagan territory over the weekend of Aug. 19-20.
Co-ordinator Jamie Sarazin says there’s great interest in powwows now. Last year’s event, she says, attracted a record 6,000-some people. It’s a welcome change, she says, since many pow wows of the past weren’t public.
“It wasn’t allowed,” she said. “You couldn’t have ceremonies.”
But today, she says, powwows are “a sharing of the culture. Everyone is welcome. Tourists are welcome to come to the powwow and learn about our culture. There’s no discrimination.”
Sarazin says she doesn’t expect this year’s event to match last year’s attendance. But she still expects a big turnout. More than 200 dancers are already registered to be there, as well as five drumming groups and dozens of craft and food vendors.
More information on the pow wow is on the Pikwakanagan website.