It’s time again to get your moccasins on and come out and boogie.
From Oct. 5 to 7 the Lil’wat Celebrations Powwow Committee invites you to join them at the Ullus Community Complex for the annual Thanksgiving Traditional Powwow.
The call is going out to all dancers, hand drummers, powwow drum groups and volunteers to the annual powwow in Mount Currie. There are dance specials and family specials throughout the weekend hosted by the dancer and their family to honour an occasion in the dancer’s growth, or to honour an achievement by an individual or group in the community.
The Princess Pageant has started with candidates in the Senior Princess and Junior Princess categories working towards the ultimate goal of representing Lil’wat throughout the year as they travel the Powwow Trail.
The schedule for the weekend is Friday night warm-up starting around 7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday the Grand Entry will be at 1 pm and 7 p.m. each day. The dancing generally goes on until about midnight, so get ready for a long and fun filled day. Brunch and dinner will be served on Saturday and Sunday, with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner being served on Sunday.
The powwow is hosted by a group of very dedicated volunteers, who fundraise throughout the year to cover the expenses involved with hosting the event. The meals are cooked by volunteers with food that is mostly donated by community members and local committees. If you would like to help with any of the events over the weekend, come out to Ullus and let the committee know you are available to help. If you can make a contribution to the meals bring your contribution out to Ullus during the powwow or call Elizabeth Dan at 604-894-6550 to find out where you can bring your donation or if you would like someone to come and pick it up.
The Thanksgiving Powwow is a family event that is open to everyone. Come out and watch the dancing, or don’t be shy if you are asked to dance in one of the specials by one of the dancers. The idea is to kick back and enjoy yourself with friends old and new. See you there.
Remembering
On Oct. 13 there will be a memorial held at the Ullus Community Complex to remember Dale DesRosier. There have been many memories shared about the Hang Out days in the past couple of weeks. And there will be more memories shared at the memorial.
Dale and Sharon owned the Hang Out and hosted many young people while they shared meals, stories and time together. It will be interesting to hear how some people got together with their life partner, or who found their best friend to share a lifetime with, or who may have found support to get through the challenges in life we go through in our teen and young adult lives.
I only got to experience the Hang Out on one occasion, while I was home visiting from the big smoke. I sat back and ate my hamburger and watched people interact with friends the way you just do with friends. Maybe the meal at the memorial will be throwback to the menu at the Hang Out.
Don’t Forget
When committees are hosting fundraising events they need to keep the best interest of their volunteers in mind. Don’t forget to ensure the hard work is rewarded by a safe ride home, especially if it is late in the day.
