Saskatoon family of powwow dancers travels far and wide to attend events across North America

The love of song and dance is what brought them together.

The strength of their cultural and traditional values is what keeps T.J. and Dabney Warren and their daughters travelling thousands of kilometres every summer to participate in powwows.

T.J, 34, and Dabney Warren, 30, have both been dancing since as far back as they can remember.

We live powwow all year round in some way or form.- T.J. Warren- father/ champion prairie chicken dancer

They met on the powwow trail, fell in love on the powwow trail, and are the third and fourth generations of their families that dance; it is in their blood.

"Powwow is embedded within our lifestyle, in how we live our daily lives," said T.J. 

"Whether it is just having fun and listening to powwow music in our house, dancing and relaxing at home, or if we are just working on regalia. We live powwow all year round in some way or form."

T.J is originally from the Díne Navajo Nation in Arizona. He is a champion prairie chicken dancer, the style of dance imitating a prairie chicken courting. 

His wife Dabney is Cree from Big River First Nation in northern Saskatchewan. She dances jingle, like her mother and grandmother. It's considered a medicine dance, able to heal the sick.

The pair live in Saskatoon with their two daughters. Omiyosiw,12, whose name in Cree means "the beautiful one," is a jingle dress dancer like her mother. Kiihibaa, 6, whose name in the Díne Navajo language means "to battle and conquer" is a fancy shawl dancer. This dance is said to represent a butterfly floating.

Balancing work and powwow

Dabney Warren is an instructor/mentor with the Indian Teachers Education Program (ITEP) at the University of Saskatchewan. T.J. Warren works as a community consultant and knowledge keeper.

When the family isn't at a powwow celebration they are usually doing performances at conferences, public events and powwow demonstrations around the Saskatoon area.

Every year the couple and their two children rack up thousands of kilometres travelling to and from powwows. Recent destinations have included Florida, South Dakota and Enoch First Nation in Alberta.

T.J said they travel a lot but always make it a priority to get back to Saskatchewan by Monday morning, so they make it to work.

"Our guesstimate of kilometres we have travelled is about roughly 10,000, just traveling from weekend powwow to weekend powwow," said T.J.

This year their travel has slowed down due to work schedules, but they say late night competitions and the long hours driving are worth it for being able to see so many places.

They say their most memorable trip happened in 2015 when the family drove across the U.S from Spokane, Wash., to Washington, D.C., in a week, allowing them to meet up with T.J's side of the family, and experience much of the U.S.

Renowned for regalia

Not only has the couple gained recognition for their dancing in Canada and the United States, but they also have become renowned for the regalia designs they create, combining aspects from both their backgrounds. 

One of the most notable dresses they created was worn by Ashley Callingbull, a Cree woman from the Enoch First Nation in Alberta, at the 2015 Mrs. Universe Pageant.

Callingbull became the first Indigenous woman to ever hold the title.

"I know Dabney and T.J from the powwow trail," said Callingbull.

"I always knew she made beautiful jingle dresses and beadwork. When I was competing for Mrs. Universe, I wanted to represent my culture in a very proud and beautiful way. So I reached out to Dabney and asked her to make my national regalia for the Mrs. Universe Pageant. 

"It was unbelievable how fast she got it done. It was so sparkly and beautiful. More extravagant, definitely beyond anything I expected."

'A celebration of life'

Dabney Warren said that at the time, it seemed like just a friend making an order.

"I didn't think it was going to be this big thing, but I was honoured," said Dabney.

"It's actually amazing my work has been seen pretty much all over the world."

Callingbull recently got the Warrens to make her new regalia, which they delivered to her at the 2018 Enoch powwow. 

T.J. Warren said song and dance for First Nations people, especially within his family and his wife's, has been a long time practice, from powwow to ceremonies.

"We have always been a part of that and want to continue that tradition," he said.

"Powwows are a celebration of life, given to us by the Creator, so we want to practise and continue to engage people by passing it on."