Wolastoq youth celebrated as keepers of heritage at powwow
17th annual powwow theme honours Wolastoq youth who keep their cultural traditions alive
Wolastoq youth are being celebrated as the keepers of their heritage at the annual powwow on the St. Mary's First Nation near Fredericton.
This event, which is drawing visitors from all over the province to St. Mary's First Nation, is meant to be a gathering of friendship to celebrate the culture.
The area where the powwow is being held is coming alive with singing, dancing, drumming and storytelling.
Perley is dedicated to the preservation of the Maliseet language and teaches it to those around her who want to learn in a way to protect the language from disappearing.
Eagle feathers are a sign of respect
Her recent protégée Liberty Francis, 11, was three years old when she began to learn the language.
Liberty's efforts have earned her two eagle feathers, a sign of respect that she can only receive from an elder.
"As an elder, we witness what our young are doing and she definitely has earned those feathers," said Perley.
"I watched her on Treaty Day when she expressed and spoke in her language and so she earned one for that."
"I want to learn how to speak our language so I can keep it going on the reserve," Liberty said.
Liberty said it means a lot to come out to the powwow to dance in her regalia.
Perley and Liberty performed a verse of their morning song on their drums to celebrate the visitors coming, to honour the sacred fire and their ancestral strength.
"The song is to let creation know that we still sing," said Perley.
Chief battles self esteem loss with culture
St. Mary's Chief Candice Paul has been chief for the past 12 years and just won her seventh term in the band elections.
The land where this year's powwow is being held is sentimental to Paul because her mother was born very close by 82 years ago.
The village was moved to a different area, so now Paul carries the memories of that time and shares it with the newer generation.
"When I speak to our youth I tell them to dream, and nothing is unachievable," said Paul.
One of the challenges in the community that Paul works to overcome is the low self-esteem of the area, brought about by their loss of voice in sharing their culture and history due to reservation schools.
"Now they have a sense of pride, the language being brought back, the powwow, they're proud of who they are now," said Paul.
Medicine wheels represent all people
Allan Polchies Jr. is a councillor of St. Mary's Nation,and one of the organizers of the powwow, which is being held on the grounds where his grandmother grew up.
"We are on the gathering rounds of the old reserve … the grounds of our ancestors," said Polchies.
The medicine garden on the powwow grounds symbolizes what the First Nations people are physically, said Polchies.
"We are the red people, we are the white people, we are the black people and we are the yellow people, and those are symbolized internationally."
